


Transference

by MariaMagica



Series: Red Stars [1]
Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Aliens, Aliens Landing in Korea, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Murder, Canon Divergence, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Empathy, F/M, Fluff, Gender Neutral MC - Freeform, Genderfluid Vanderwood, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Minor Character Death, Other, Paranoia, Romance, Suicide mention, Supernatural Elements, The RFA is not okay, Thriller
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-15 20:22:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 36,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9255011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MariaMagica/pseuds/MariaMagica
Summary: They never expected in their lifetime that extraterrestrials would arrive on Earth. When nothing happens for a while, life goes on - until Zen and Jumin get an unusual visitor and all Seven can do is watch as all hell breaks loose.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the fic that I thought was too crazy to write and yet my mind forced it out of me anyway. :o The longest fic I have written to date! Updates for this fic will be irregular because I have so much to edit and real life is a demanding mistress.
> 
> I want to give massive thanks to [TinyQueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinyQueen/pseuds/TinyQueen) and [Misericordemika](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Misericordemika/pseuds/Misericordemika) for beta reading when I was pretty much crying on the floor because this story could've gone in so many directions. They kept me grounded when the aliens did not. =D
> 
> Hope you enjoy this rollercoaster of emotions!

He was used to employees being late to morning meetings. It wasn’t even unusual for a client to show up an hour later than planned. But when Jumin sat down at the long oval table with only two of his staff members, his phone strangely void of any calls or messages, he knew something very unusual was going on. The two employees looked as confused as he was. Only a few minutes passed before an extremely anxious Assistant Kang rushed into the room, smartphone in her hand.

“Mr. Han, you need to turn on the television.”

Without questioning her, Jumin pressed a button on the remote and the flat-screen T.V. embedded in the wall blinked to life. There was no need to ask her what they needed to look at. Every channel showed the same exact thing.

_’…Other countries are reporting the same thing. From what has been heard, the President is currently part of an emergency meeting called together by the United Nations. So far we have only this footage made by a passerby who was able to catch it on his phone before being evacuated. Chief Park of the Korean National Police has asked the people to remain calm…’_

When vague, amateurish images were shown of something large and dark _hovering_ above a misty meadow in the far distance, Jumin couldn’t breathe. Behind him, a chair fell as the door slammed open, hurried footsteps trailing off in the distance. By the time he turned around, feeling disassociated, only his assistant was left in the room. Her eyes were as large as dinner plates.

“Assistant Kang… You can take the day off.”

***

> Yoosung★: HOLY CRAP  
>  Yoosung★: HOL YCARP  
>  Yoosung★: HSOALCRAP  
>  Yoosung★: …  
>  Yoosung★: …  
>  Yoosung★: Why isn’t anyone responding????
> 
> Jaehee Kang: Honestly, I’m just as shocked as you are.
> 
> ZEN: I just found out  
>  ZEN: I was standing in front of a locked studio door earlier on  
>  ZEN: Called the director and he told me to get the hell home  
>  ZEN: I don’t even know what to think
> 
> Jumin Han: We just have to be patient until we get word from our President or otherwise.
> 
> ZEN: HOW can you be so calm at a time like this??  
>  ZEN: >:(
> 
> Jumin Han: Someone has to be.  
>  Jumin Han: Comparing our track records, it’s obvious who is better at handling severe stress.
> 
> ZEN: D:<<<
> 
> Yoosung★: Does anyone know if Rika-noona is okay??
> 
> Jaehee Kang: I called V-nim as soon as I could.  
>  Jaehee Kang: They’re both fine, their hotel in Mongolia is letting anyone trapped there to stay for free as long as airports don’t allow any planes to lift off.  
>  Jaehee Kang: Unfortunately the international communication lockdown that has just been put in place means they can’t join us in the messenger or call us anymore.
> 
> ZEN: It’s too bad they aren’t here. V would surely love to make pictures of that UFO thing
> 
> Jumin Han: I prefer that they’re safe in a different country.  
>  Jumin Han: I wish I could send Elizabeth the 3rd to my father in England.
> 
> ZEN: Who cares about that furball, geeze.
> 
> Jumin Han: Oh? I didn’t know you wanted me to protect you as well.
> 
> ZEN: wtf NO
> 
> 707: guys
> 
> Zen: Oh oh
> 
> 707: gUYS  
>  707: GUYSSS  
>  707: this is AMAZING  
>  707: that we actually get to see this in our lifetime!!  
>  707: **!!!!ALIENS!!!!!!!!**  
>  707: I knew I had to BELIEEEEEVE  
>  707: I am so HAPPYYY~~~~
> 
> Jaehee Kang: I can’t believe one actually landed in Korea.  
>  Jaehee Kang: According to the forums, there’s also one in Belgium and Mexico.
> 
> Yoosung★: I wonder what they look like
> 
> ZEN: With a bit of luck they’ll look like sexy space babes and less like creepy giant head things from Hollywood movies
> 
> Jumin Han: Ugh.
> 
> Yoosung★: OMG  
>  Yoosung★: What if they want to kidnap us all?
> 
> 707: Kidnap me!!  
>  707: ♪~ ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ
> 
> Yoosung★: Seven NO!
> 
> Jaehee Kang: Don’t you think they would have done that by now if that was what they wanted?
> 
> Jumin Han: It could be they are just trying to establish peaceful contact with us.  
>  Jumin Han: Let’s not assume the worst.
> 
> ZEN: I can’t believe I’m saying this but I agree with Jumin
> 
> Jumin Han: Just admit, you always do.
> 
> ZEN: DUDE STOP
> 
> Jaehee Kang: I guess all we can do is wait.
> 
> 707: EXCITEDDD!!~~!! 

***

Unfortunately, the minutes turned into hours and dragged on into days. After a week of absolutely nothing, Seven’s excitement plummeted to an all-time low. So far people have rioted in the streets, burned down a few buildings, and prompted the police to use water cannons. Every social media in existence and everyone offline or online talked about their visitors from space, speculating on their looks, the reason for their visit, their technology and so on. But news from said visitors? Nada. Nyet. Nein. It bummed him out completely.

Even though he knew it was extremely risky, he decided to hack into the National Intelligence Service’s official satellite. It would mean a lifetime behind bars if they found him, so he had to be extra careful – but it’d be worth it. The thrill of the possibility of being able to communicate with extraterrestrials was so grand, he wondered if this was what it felt like to take hard drugs.

There seemed to be a direct line to the spacecraft in his country but as far as he could tell by scanning every single transmission, the NIS had received absolutely nothing from whatever could be inside of it. Damn. Disappointment returned again.

Still, he couldn’t let this chance go to waste. He created a copy of the line, hid it as much as he could by letting the signal bounce through at least 15 different countries. Then he transmitted some sentences to the extraterrestrial visitors, greeting them hello in every language he knew, making sure to also include all human code: binary and even a few mathematical theories. Surely math had to be a universal language?

> 01001000 01100101 01101100 01101100 01101111 00100001  
>  _(Hello!)_  
> 

Silence. That was his only reward for days now.

The sun was coming up and he knew he had wasted another night. The agency had actually left him alone for a few days when the UFOs arrived and the communication lockdown happened, but the moment they got a client right here in Korea, he was asked to work on this task urgently. Blegh. He didn’t want to. All he wanted was to talk to aliens. Desperately trying to seek some form of distraction, he activated a screen and was met with live footage of a cozy family home in a suburb.

His brother’s home. _Saeran._

It was by pure chance that he found him. He had been scouring security footage from Hong Kong for a different assignment when his eye fell upon a very familiar looking boy with red hair. So familiar, he had to double check if he wasn’t simply watching a movie with himself in it. His brother had been working the garden and he could only stare until his foster family came out to call him in.

V and Rika told him he couldn’t have any contact with his brother after he entered Witness Protection, lest he wanted to put both of them in danger. They were right, of course, but there was just no way he could pretend he didn’t exist, not when he could watch the front of Saeran’s house whenever he felt lonely. Sometimes the curtains were open and he could see him busy in the kitchen. He looked happy enough and Seven wondered if his brother still remembered him. It was a bittersweet feeling – he wanted his brother to live his life normally, the way he should. Yet sometimes he wished to know if Saeran missed him too.

Luciel bit his lip, clenched his hand that was holding his mouse. Come on, get a grip! This is all for the best. He had a job to do, one that he signed up for himself. 

Taking a deep breath, he closed the screen, promising himself never to open it again and knowing he would break that vow within days. As he turned back, ready to get a move on with the assignment, he was greeted with numbers floating in the middle of his first monitor. They were bright red upon his black background, ominous. His eyes grew large and his mouth fell open.

01100110 01100101 01100101 01101100  
_(feel)_

What?

What??

His brain crashed.

…

His brain reactivated.

Where did this come from? Quickly he pulled open a few tabs. His thoughts were confirmed – it was from the spaceship. They had used his second transmission line.

Holy shit. He rolled his chair away from his desk a bit, both hands on his face in shock. Holy shit.

Contact. He had contact! He had contact with aliens!

Except… What in the world did they mean with ‘feel’? Were they actually trying to talk to him or did they just send him random binary back which happened to form a word? Did they even know what they were doing? Shit shit shit. He was in over his head. And yet…

Dear God, Maria, Jesus, he just had to know more. He had to keep going. Everything else be damned. Forgetting the world around him, he typed in more sentences in binary, never having been hungrier for anything.

***

“-but that is not part of the original contract that your company agreed upon five years ago!”

“The clauses are outdated and should be modified to match the current economic situation.”

“If we take in account the inflated percentage calculated by the Bank of Korea-“

Jaehee stared at the empty Word page on her laptop and sighed. She was supposed to take notes of the meeting, but so far the conversation spun in circles, leading nowhere productive. The client, his lawyer, C&R’s senior accountant and Mr. Han all argued through each other, every party trying to gain the upper hand in the argument.

This had been going on for an hour now. And to make matters worse, Mr. Han had asked her to check up on his cat when this was done – meaning she’d be brushing off c-hair from her suit in the evening again. 

Something flickered in the corner of her eye and she turned towards the flat-screen television at the far end of the meeting room. She swore she had something red flash across the screen but there was no evidence that proved her right, the screen black and silent as normal.

Her imagination must be desperate for distraction. Her smartphone buzzed and she knew it was Yoosung with his regular update on what he was doing in his favorite game. She tried to convince him to take the time to do some research in what subject he wanted to graduate in, seeing as his grades were good enough but the blond had expressed in doubts in what profession he wanted to pursue. Mr. Han had offered Yoosung a job in C&R, though it was an offer she wasn’t sure she wanted to recommend.

Jaehee sighed. Why was she thinking like this? Anyone would be happy to have a job, let alone be offered one - though that sounded like Mr. Han had infiltrated her mind. It made her feel even more down.

Her phone buzzed a few more times, indicating Yoosung wasn’t alone anymore. No one was paying attention to her, so she allowed herself a quick glance in the messenger app.

***

_’…standing here in the outskirts of Seoul where it’s been reported that yet another person has gone missing. This makes the fourth case so far this week and the police still cannot say with certainty if this is related to the visiting aliens or to an organized crime mob taking advantage of the situation. What they are sure of is that this is not a coincidence and everyone is asked to keep their eyes open and to call the police as soon as they notice anything strange. In other news, more and more people are joining an armed group that plans to defend themselves from any possible alien attack-…’_

Zen switched off the TV with the remote and took a sip of beer, thankful he had gotten a whole pack before this mess started. The news about the kidnappings unnerved him and he hoped with all his heart that Yoosung wasn’t actually right.

There was nothing else on the television he wanted to see. Every channel was either talking about the aliens or showing movies related to aliens and truthfully, he was getting a bit sick of it. He had rehearsed his lines a million times now, not that it mattered. The musical had been postponed until further notice. There was only so many times he could go outside for a jog and it wasn’t warm enough yet to do anything else.

Yawning, he picked up his phone, quickly snapping another gorgeous selfie to post on Winstagram and joined the messenger again. The app had been constantly busy, everyone else in the RFA also bored out of their minds. The only person he hadn’t heard from in days was Seven but no doubt he was doing something they weren’t allowed to know of, possibly involving their space guests. He noticed Jumin wasn’t online, which was a bit odd.

> \- ZEN has logged in - 
> 
> ZEN: Never thought finally having contact with ET could be so dull  
>  ZEN: What I wouldn’t give for these aliens to go away so I can actually do something again
> 
> Yoosung★: Come play LOLOL!
> 
> ZEN: Not that desperate  
>  ZEN: Where is Jumin?
> 
> Yoosung★: I don’t know  
>  Yoosung★: I’m surprised you’re asking  
>  Yoosung★: If Seven were here, I’d know just what he’d say!
> 
> ZEN: Shut up Yoosung  
>  ZEN: I’m just asking because for the last few days he was always here
> 
> Jaehee Kang: Oh Zen!  
>  Jaehee Kang: You’re welcome to take my place.
> 
> ZEN: ?  
>  ZEN: Why?
> 
> Jaehee Kang: Mr. Han asked me and other workers to join him at C&R.
> 
> ZEN: What for?!
> 
> Jaehee Kang: He said that we shouldn’t waste any more time with nothing going on.  
>  Jaehee Kang: One of our clients is facing bankruptcy so he called in a last minute meeting.  
>  Jaehee Kang: I was so hoping I could catch up on your musicals.
> 
> Yoosung★: That sucks Jaehee
> 
> ZEN: This is bullshit!

It took all he had not to throw down his beer can in anger. That jerk! Even when the country was in a state of emergency, he insisted on being a slave driver? He got up from the couch and paced around his living room as he angrily typed in the number of the man who had to be the biggest prick in the world.

“Zen? Why are you calling me?” Was he bored, or did he just pretend to be because he was the one calling him? Either way, it pissed Zen off faster than a poorly written review of his performance.

“You know damn well why I’m calling, you asshole! Why in the world are you making Jaehee and others work when they should be at home! Damn it, Trust Fund kid!”

“There’s no need to resort to name calling. Assistant Kang and my staff are my employers and I’m only letting them do what I hired them for. You can’t expect me to let C&R fall into disarray while we’re doing nothing but waiting.” Was he annoyed? Good. Everyone may be afraid to talk down to the so-called powerful CEO Jumin Han but not him.

“I’ll call you whatever I want! You’re just some spoiled brat who gets off overworking people!”

“I don’t understand why you’re upset. If you’re that bored, you’re also welcome to help us out – I will make sure you’re well compensated.”

“Absolutely not! I’d rather drive to your penthouse and chuck that cat from the roof!” He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth. He didn’t want to harm that furball, not really – but he was so angry, he was searching for whatever hurt the most. By the harsh gritty tones that was now in Jumin’s voice, Zen knew he had succeeded, the beast in him happy with the attention.

“You leave Elizabeth the 3rd alone you-!” Something in the background fell on the floor. “Enough. If you are done with being childish, I’ll be returning to work-“

Like a bull in the arena, all he saw was red. “Childish!? Why you piece of-“ 

The lights in his apartment flickered on and off in rapid succession and it distracted him, his anger and feelings of pride lessening in intensity. He looked up at the lamp, vaguely wondering if he had paid his electricity bill.

Suddenly he heard the strangest noise coming through the smartphone speaker and behind him. It sounded like multiple whales in the distance, combined with static and something so low-pitched he couldn’t possibly recognize it. He pulled his ear away and looked at his phone. His screen went completely haywire, displaying white noise, red numbers and dark blurry images all at once. A bright light appeared next to him, his TV turning itself on and displaying the same exact thing.

Zen could only stare with his mouth open, body frozen in fear.

Something _moved_. It was like the blurry static had its own life, slowly moving off the TV screen and gliding through the air. Its shape shifted constantly, so transparent he only knew where it was whenever it changed. He wanted to scream but the sound was caught in his throat. His legs came back to life and he ran across his living room, stopping short from opening the door when the apparition in his living room vanished. The television turned itself off again and his house fell completely silent.

Several panicked cries and a loud crashing noise came from his phone, making his blood run cold and reminding him why he was calling in the first place. Holding the phone to his ear again, hand trembling, he was greeted with silence. He double-checked the screen but the call was still active. 

“Jumin? Jumin!”

It was like yelling into the void. All he could hear was the furious beating of his heart. Why wasn’t he responding? Did something happen to him? The worst case scenario ran through his mind ruthlessly. Shit, what if the last words Jumin heard had to do with someone wanting to hurt his cat? He wouldn’t be able to live with himself.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean what I said earlier! Jumin?”

Another nail-biting minute passed; he considered calling Jaehee when he heard a soft deep voice. 

“…Zen?” Oh thank god thank god-

“Jumin! Why didn’t you respond, I heard- Never mind, listen, there… There was something here. This thing - I swear I’m not going crazy – it just floated out of my TV into my living room, it’s like some kind of blurry static jellyfish and I-I’m doing my best not to freak out but shit!” Multiple times he raked his ponytail with his hand, trying to focus on making sense while staring at the now empty space in his house.

He could hear the executive’s heavy breathing and something about the sound greatly worried him. It wasn’t like him to take his time to respond.

“Here too.” The words were so quiet, he almost didn’t hear it.

“T-there too?” He parroted, not caring how dumb it sounded. 

“It took… It took the client. He’s gone.” 

No way. No freaking way. He recalled the news about the kidnappings. Oh my god, were they alright? “Jumin, where are you now?”

“We’re all outside. Assistant Kang is calling the police. Zen, you’re not safe – leave your house and I will have someone pick you up.” Slowly the Jumin’s voice returned back to normal, giving out commands as he always did. Though Zen did not miss the urgency and panic. 

He scanned the room again. The television screen was still black, silent like death.

“No need, I’m fine now. I’ll call the police and also Seven, I’m sure he knows something about this.”

“Are you sure? Because if anything-” He sounded concerned, understandably so. It was strangely pleasant to know he was worried about, but Zen didn’t want Jumin to waste his time on him when someone had actually been kidnapped on Jumin’s end.

“Trust me Jumin, I can handle it.” Hopefully.

“Alright. Please stay safe.”

You too, he wanted to say, but the words never left his mouth. The call ended; Zen didn’t allow himself to take his time, scared that thing might return, hastily looking up Seven’s contact and calling him. But after receiving his voicemail for the third time, it was obvious he wouldn’t be able to reach the redhead.

Damnit! What was Seven doing?! The terrifying idea of Seven having been taken as well shook him to the core, barely able to dial the emergency number.


	2. Chapter 2

Two days. It had been two days since he received that single message. He constantly wrote back in binary. He had used short words. He had used long complex sentences. Described himself, what he did, what his life was like. Described in detail about the RFA, what they were like. Asked them how they looked like, how they lived, why they were here. The bags under his eyes had bags; he only slept when he passed out at the computer for a few hours, scaring himself awake worried he might have missed something. His phone buzzed seemingly every minute but he ignored it, scared he’d miss it if he looked away.

Nothing. Nothing appeared on his screen anymore.

Seven slammed his fists on his desk, his keyboard, mouse and a large amount of empty chips bags jumped up, empty cans falling to the floor.

“Come on!” It was so frustrating. He wanted to cry. He felt so dizzy from exhaustion. The screen blurred as he stared at it, seeing only black.

And then red.

01100001 01101110 01100111 01110010 01111001   
_(angry)_

Just like the first time, he couldn’t think when he saw those red numbers appear. It didn’t contain itself to his code box, using the whole screen like it was a wordpad. He read the binary over and over. Angry. He had been angry. Were they describing… him?

The numbers faded away but this time, new numbers appeared.

01100110 01100101 01100101 01101100  
 _(feel)_

There it was again. That word, it wasn’t random. They were trying to tell him something.

Seven ran his hands through his messy red hair, snapping his fingers to create a rhythm in his thoughts. Could it be that they sensed what he was feeling? Was that it?

He thought about Honey Buddha Chips. He thought about how he felt when he would tell the RFA he had exclusive contact with aliens. He thought about how he could become friends with the aliens and maybe, just maybe, they’d bring him to outer space.

That last thought brought a smile to his face. His theory was confirmed when different numbers were displayed.

01101000 01100001 01110000 01110000 01111001 00111111  
 _(happy?)_

It was questioning which not only showed him they had an understanding of how humans made a question, but also confirmed how exact they were in reading him – it was hard for him to conjure up genuine happiness. But he was excited, more than he had been for years now.

Okay. Emotions. Emotions emotions emotions. As long as they were strong enough, the aliens could sense them and communicate with him. He had to keep it going.

> 01111001 01100101 01110011 00100000 01110110 01100101 01110010 01111001 00100000 01101000 01100001 01110000 01110000 01111001  
>  _(yes very happy)_
> 
> 01110011 01100001 01111001 00100000 01101101 01101111 01110010 01100101  
>  _(say more)_
> 
> 01110000 01101100 01100101 01100001 01110011 01100101  
>  _(please)_

Was desperation an emotion? He begged and pleaded in his head, tried to amplify the feeling. Enhanced the frustration and sadness he felt whenever they didn’t respond. Sadness was easier than happiness.

01101101 01101111 01110010 01100101  
 _(more)_

01101110 01101111 00100000 01110011 01100001 01100100  
 _(no sad)_

Interesting. Instead of repeating how he felt, they seemed to be actually giving a reaction to it. Did the alien, or aliens, not want him to be sad? Were they capable of understanding what sadness is, or did they simply feel how much it hurt and decide it was a negative thing?

He really should be writing all this down.

01100010 01100101 00100000 01100110 01110010 01101001 01100101 01101110 01100100 00111111  
 _(be friend?)_

Seven was surprised to see a message coming in, this time without his exerting his brain to feel something. Perhaps they weren’t sure if they could trust him or they needed to properly create a communication channel first. Whatever it was, this was progress.

And they wanted to be friends!

“God Seven Oh Seven does it again!” He said, pumping his fists in the air. Man, the others are going to be green with envy!

01101000 01100101 01101100 01101100 01101111 00100000 00110111 00110000 00110111  
 _(hello 707)_

Oh? Could they hear him? Maybe their technology was so advanced, they didn’t have to type to transfer data. Maybe they didn’t even have to say it – if they could sense his emotions, maybe they did everything with their mind.

He touched his PC screen and the tips of his fingers tingled. It could simply have been the dust from his screen but for some reason, he felt _alive_ , felt his face become warm. He wasn’t imagining things, there was something there.

“Agent 707!”

Quickly retracting his hand, he whirled around on his computer chair to find Agent Vanderwood standing there. Damn, he had been so caught up with this whole thing that he didn’t notice the alarms warning him of intruders. Vanderwood’s arms were crossed, holding the Arabic dictionary, obviously pissed.

“Hey Mary! What’s up!” He saluted her, giving the widest grin.

“Don’t you what’s up me – I’m so done with your nonsense. Why haven’t you responded to any of the agency’s messages? Why did you have to change the entrance code again making me waste an hour outside? And why is it such a mess in here?”

Seven wiggled on his chair a bit, giving Vanderwood the best ‘oops my bad’ face he could give. The brunette looked like she wanted to taser Seven on the spot as she kicked away the empty Dr. Pepper cans on the floor.

“I swear you make my blood pressure rise. Anyway, our only non-international client has asked us to drop the current case. Turns out his daughter has gone missing from their highly guarded villa. No one has seen anything and not a single clue as to what happened. He suspects it might have something to do with the aliens so we need you to find out if that’s true or not.”

Vanderwood’s face told Seven that there was no room for argument, no getting out of this. He played around with his headphone wire, looking to the ground – did he really want to let anyone else know that he was talking to aliens? It would help him immensely but he didn’t want to breach their trust.

He turned to his screen.

01001001 00100000 01110100 01110010 01110101 01110011 01110100 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101  
 _(I trust you)_

The first full sentence. They were learning incredibly fast. In his mind, he thanked them, hoping the feeling of gratitude came over clearly. His chair creaked as he spun back to Vanderwood, a Cheshire cat grin on his face.

“Well, you’re in luck! Maybe we can directly ask our space friends~!”

As he made some space, Vanderwood moved to his bureau quickly, staring at the center screen as red numbers once again made their appearance.

01101110 01100101 01110111 00100000 01100110 01110010 01101001 01100101 01101110 01100100 00111111  
 _(new friend?)_

“You’re kidding me.” His fellow agent gasped. Seven desperately hoped he had made the right choice.

***

_‘…shocking video showing what seems to be someone being kidnapped, or dare I say it, alien-napped in the office building of C &R International. Fear is sweeping the nation as everyone voices their opinion on social media and those opinions are not positive at all. _

_We asked the leader of the newly formed Alien Defense Group, a group that is gaining more popularity by the second, how he feels about this.’_

_“This is exactly what we feared for. Now we have solid proof that the aliens are behind the kidnapping, yet the government and army have done nothing to get rid of our hostile invaders. At this rate, we have no choice but to take matters into our own hands.”_

_‘The president has asked people to please stay in your home and not to resort to unnecessary vigilantism…’_

Yoosung lowered his headphones slowly as the news reporter kept talking on his computer screen, LOLOL music playing in the background. The sight of the glowing man seemed burned on his retinas and he had trouble keeping himself calm.

He had seen something similar to that static during a very stressful boss fight, his guildmates swearing like no tomorrow and getting upset whenever they died. They had dismissed it as a glitch, all of them seeing some kind of strange blurriness in the center of the digital room.

Had they been in more danger than he realized?

His mother called him, constantly asking if he was okay. He was able to reassure her that he was fine but when the call ended, he couldn’t fight the fear that was sitting in the pit of his stomach.

As fast as he could, he told his guild to log off as soon as possible if they saw the glitch again, leaving little explanation to avoid making them panic. He then logged into the messenger and it killed him to see Seven still offline. He feared the worst.

The RFA wasn’t safe as long as those aliens were around. He swore to himself he would do his best to protect them as well as he could.

***

Assistant Kang wasn’t at C&R when he arrived. She might not show up at all and if he was very honest, he couldn’t blame her. He wouldn’t be here if not on request of the police, who had asked him to show them where exactly the strange happening had occurred. He had to pay a taxi a large sum of money just to get here, his loyal driver refusing to be anywhere near the office.

Two of the officers scouted the building while another stood outside, waiting for the rest to arrive. He stood in the lobby looking at the empty RFA chat, anxiously fiddling with his tie. Zen told him he’d left his home, as the basement apartment was now under investigation. Zen did not want to spend another second there, and had taken up residence at a local motel. He thought about offering the actor a room in his penthouse instead. Elizabeth could easily stay in her own suite. Right now though, this matter needed to be dealt with. 

At least he was alright.

Once again he tried to call Luciel. No one had been able to reach him for three days and Yoosung was convinced that he got kidnapped. Normally he’d tell the young blond he was being ridiculous but in the light of recent events, he was also gravely concerned. To his relief, he didn’t get voicemail.

“So help me Seven if you don’t pick up your phone right now-“ The angry voice in the background was unfamiliar and Jumin was tempted to ask him who it was, though he suspected he would never get a straight answer out of him.

“Hello Luciel. I was beginning to think the aliens had taken you.” A joke to lighten the mood couldn’t hurt, right?

“Ah… Haha. No no, I’m fine~! Working hard as always. How can I help you, Hyung?” Luciel sounded more serious than normal. Jumin suspected it may have something to do with his guest.

“Something very strange happened two days ago, when we were in the meeting room. It’s a bit hard to explain, I would like you to check C&R’s security footage around 11:30 AM.”

“On it!” Jumin always suspected that Seven had easy access to their CCTV cameras. He sighed, wondering if this should be an issue or not.

A few minutes passed and all he heard was fervent typing. When it stopped, Luciel’s voice returned, now deadly serious.

“Jumin, this is important. What were you doing when it appeared? Make sure to mention every detail, no matter how small.”

Jumin looked at the ceiling, recalling the moment that lead the whole event. He remembered Zen had called and he allowed himself to pick up, his staff busy arguing with the client whose business was teetering on the brink of disaster. He had already been frustrated with the way their meeting was going and even more with how Zen absolutely refused to see things his way. When Zen threatened his beautiful Elizabeth, he had felt so angry – even knocking his coffee cup on the floor.

That’s when the flat-screen television turned on. That’s when his phone made the most hellish noise he had ever heard in his life.

When that… thing… appeared, he had never been more terrified. Zen had aptly called it a jellyfish and he could see why – extremely translucent, yet twitching and blurry, and it looked _wrong_. At first it seemed interested in him but then turned to their client, who looked at it like he was hypnotized.

He wasn’t sure how he knew but somehow, it touched him. In a matter of seconds the man started glowing bright white, almost painful on the eyes, the blurry static alien turning black and red while it was happening and then all of the sudden they faded away, leaving no trace behind.

They all ran out of the room like the devil was on their heels, stopping only when they got outside.

Zen’s apology rang through his phone and he couldn’t register it, out of breath and nearly out of his mind. When he told him the same exact thing had appeared at his house, he wanted to order Driver Kim to go over to him, get him out of there- The only thing stopping him was Zen’s promise and the police reassuring him they were already handling it. Him calling Zen later on to confirm his whereabouts also helped, even though Zen got annoyed and asked him why he had to be so overbearing.

He didn’t mention the last part to Seven. The self-proclaimed hacker was mumbling something about it making sense and Jumin frowned.

“Luciel, you know something about this, don’t you? What are you not telling me?”

“Sorry Jumin, I can’t really tell you anything but… I promise, I’ll get to the bottom of it. Just whatever you do, don’t panic or get upset or you know. You’re good with that right? Pushing down emotions and all. Bye bye~!” With that, he hung up and Jumin was left with even more questions than before.

Push down emotions? Was that some sort of code for stay calm? Chat sounds grabbed his attention, the RFA messenger having resumed its activity while he was in the call.

> ZEN: So it looks like the aliens have shown up in a lot of places but not always do they take someone
> 
> Yoosung★: Knowing that doesn’t exactly help though…
> 
> \- Jumin Han has logged in - 
> 
> Yoosung★: Hyung, have you seen the news??
> 
> Jumin Han: I have not, why?
> 
> ZEN: It’s pretty bad  
> ZEN: The news showed security footage of your meeting room  
> ZEN: And that thing and that poor man
> 
> Yoosung★: I’M SO SCARED  
> Yoosung★: YOU GUYS COULD HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED TOO OMG
> 
> Jumin Han: That’s on national television?
> 
> ZEN: Yes, they said it came from an anonymous source. No doubt someone must have leaked it

At first Jumin suspected the redhead, but that was ridiculous. Seven had just looked at the footage and there was no way he would give the news anything considering how often he said his line of work required secrecy. It had to be one of his security guards. Former security guard soon enough.

> Yoosung★: And we still haven’t heard from Seven omg I’m crying
> 
> Jumin Han: No need to worry anymore, I just talked with him earlier.
> 
> Yoosung★: *gasp* YAY!
> 
> ZEN: That’s the best news I’ve heard in days
> 
> Jumin Han: He told me he’s busy with whatever is going on.  
> Jumin Han: Hopefully we’ll have some answers soon.
> 
> Yoosung★: I’m sure Seven will pull through like he always does
> 
> ZEN: Agreed
> 
> \- Jaehee Kang has logged in -
> 
> Jaehee Kang: Mr. Han, I cannot reach C&R.
> 
> Jumin Han: Where are you right now?
> 
> Jaehee Kang: A few blocks further.  
> Jaehee Kang: There’s a huge crowd here and they’re blocking the roads with their cars.  
> Jaehee Kang: The police are here too, trying to move them.
> 
> ZEN: What in the world?  
> ZEN: Are you at C&R again? Really???
> 
> Jumin Han: It was upon police request.
> 
> ZEN: ARE YOU MAD
> 
> Yoosung★: Wait, are there people holding banners with ADG on it?
> 
> Jaehee Kang: Correct.
> 
> Yoosung★: OMG it’s that group from the news!!
> 
> ZEN: You should leave like riGHT NOW
> 
> Jumin Han: I’m being called by the officers.  
> Jumin Han: Assistant Kang, best to wait and let the police do their job.  
> Jumin Han: Take care, all of you. 
> 
> \- Jumin Han has logged off –
> 
> ZEN: JUMIN

***

They must sense his disinterest in helping the agency. Seven wouldn’t know why else it was taking so long to get a straight answer from his new alien companion.

At first he assumed that it was simply the language barrier – not exactly easy to ask if they had gone around and kidnapped people if they didn’t know what that meant. So they had just asked short simple questions, such as the color of the sky, trying to figure out what they knew about humans and their vocabulary. Everything pointed towards them already having quite the understanding of their society in general.

Yet every single time they changed to the subject of the kidnapping of the client’s daughter, the alien reacted confused, giving him odd replies or words that made no sense.

Annoyed, Vanderwood had left to take a nap on his now clean couch, after having spent several hours next to his PC and before that, several hours cleaning his house. Seven actually felt lonely without all the cans. He leaned back on his chair, putting his hands behind his head.

00110111 00110000 00110111  
 _(707)_

He smirked. Whenever he was idling, his name would appear. It was clearly calling for his attention and he couldn’t help but find it cute.

01100011 01110101 01110100 01100101  
 _(cute)_

Were they actually flirting with him now? Or just teasing him by repeating what he was thinking? Either way, Seven found himself blushing. This was bad – he wasn’t supposed to become so fond of someone… or something that he barely even knew. Something that wasn’t human, he reminded himself.

His phone vibrated again. Vanderwood roused from her sleep and cursed at him for not answering. He had been ignoring the RFA for a long time now – he felt bad about it. Quickly looking at his call log, he was shocked to see how often Zen, Yoosung and Jumin had tried to call him, including a lot of messages from Jaehee. It wasn’t surprising to see it was Jumin trying to reach him again.

He wasn’t prepared for what Jumin asked him to watch. The camera footage shocked him deeply and the guilt he felt for ignoring everyone tripled. Yet all he allowed himself to say was a short reassurance – one that wouldn’t reassure him in the slightest. He couldn’t tell them, not just yet. Not yet.

The screen was quiet and empty. His mind raced, fear, panic and anxiety hitting all at once. This entity could be pure evil and simply manipulating him to trust them. He didn’t want to believe it but two members of the RFA were visited at the same time – literally no way this was a coincidence. The image of the man glowing and fading away wouldn’t leave his mind.

“Please, tell me – why are you taking humans away?” He whispered, afraid of the answer. Before he finished his sentence, new numbers appeared.

01110100 01101111 01110101 01100011 01101000 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01110011 01100011 01110010 01100101 01100101 01101110  
 _(touch the screen)_

He hesitated. This could only go two ways and one of them could spell the end for him. He considered saying goodbye on the messenger app first… No. 

They came to him. They could’ve taken him by now if they wanted to.

“I trust you.” Reassurance. Deep breath. Let’s go.

The moment his hand came in contact with the screen’s smooth surface, his skin felt like it was doused in something cool and windy, like passing through a cloud. His vision went dark, the sounds of snoring stopped and he could only feel, all other senses leaving him.

Suddenly he was a young woman, crying in her luxurious room in a grand mansion. She had always known her father was a crime lord but only recently did she find out the horrible things he made people go through. The police had brought her back again after she ran away. Her life would never be her own, choices already determined and revealed before her. Her door was locked, a golden cage for a person who would never know free will anymore. The strange being that came from her smartphone reached out to her, understood her.

_I don’t want to be here. I don’t care where I go, as long as it’s not here anymore._

All he saw was white.

The feelings changed. Now he was a businessman, hardened through the years of dealing with ruthless people who wanted nothing more than to give him the lowest deals to maximize their own profits. Long days of unpaid overtime rewarded him with a divorce, a home that he rarely lived in and children that didn’t want to see him anymore. Just a single bad investment was enough for his small company to spiral into a loop that he would never be able to climb out of. The thing that arrived from C&R’s television screen seemed like an angel coming to get him.

_I have nothing left. Take me with you._

The white glow returned and vanished just like that. There were more, faces and thoughts rushing through his mind like a whirlwind. All of them with different reasons but with the same intense sadness, all wanting to end where they were now, all of them asking for some form of escape.

_Thank you._

Seven let out a sigh of relief as he came back to himself. He understood a little more now. Human feelings was like noise, so loud and painful that they couldn’t ignore it. It even attracted them. And none of the taken humans were unwilling.

But that didn’t explain why they took them or where said humans were taken to. He pressed his fingers a bit harder on the screen, hoping to get another answer.

New feelings entered his mind.

He was a police officer, walking around the empty office rooms of C&R Headquarters. His colleague was yelling something at him but he didn’t hear her, so pissed off at the fact that he couldn’t find the aliens. He wanted to take them out! All his life he had been convinced that he was a puppet with strings pulled by people with too much power and things that were not from this world. When those damn aliens landed, it only confirmed his suspicions. Joining the Alien Defense Group had been the best thing he had done in his life, finally meeting like-minded people. However, they were still too passive. The time for action was now, just like their leader had said.

His colleague called for him again and they both headed to the lobby. There was that arrogant CEO who probably never had to work a day in his entire life, yet he made more salary in a day than he would in a year. There was no doubt in his mind that this multi-million dollar company had to be hiding something very dark. The forums he regularly visited provided enough evidence that C&R was behind the aliens but he knew the rest of the police force wouldn’t believe it. No matter, the ADG would be here soon. They’d squeeze the truth out of him and the world would wake up, no longer mindless sheep of society. His finger caressed the handle of his sheathed gun, knowing he would provide righteous justice if needed be.

Gasping out loud, Seven was pulled back into his body violently, falling backwards and landing on the floor, chair and all. The loud yelling that came from Vanderwood did not enter his mind, as he tried to get back up, so disorientated he almost fell down again.

This was a warning. 

Using all his willpower, he forced himself to grab his phone. When his call went unanswered, he logged into C&R’s CCTV cameras. Damn, they were offline! As he ran the program to activate them, he logged into the chat, needing the RFA more than ever.


	3. Chapter 3

> \- 707 has logged in –
> 
> Yoosung★: Seven! :D
> 
> ZEN: Seven!
> 
> 707: GUYS  
>  707: IS JUMIN STILL AT C&R
> 
> ZEN: Yes, unbelievably enough  
>  ZEN: He just logged off
> 
> Yoosung★: What’s going on?
> 
> 707: HES NOT SAFE  
>  707: NO TIME TO EXPLAIN  
>  707: HE HAS TO GET OUT OF THERE NOW
> 
> ZEN: Shit  
>  ZEN: I knew it I knew it  
>  ZEN: Jaehee you’re nearby with the car right?
> 
> Jaehee Kang: I’m still stuck, the crowd is refusing to move.  
>  Jaehee Kang: I don’t know what the police is doing, there seems to be some kind of problem.  
>  Jaehee Kang: Mr. Han is not answering his calls.
> 
> Yoosung★: Oh no  
>  Yoosung★: Are the aliens going to kidnap him?  
>  Yoosung★: Seven, can you please tell us more?  
>  Yoosung★: Seven????
> 
> ZEN: And he’s gone  
>  ZEN: Right I’m heading there  
>  ZEN: Let’s figure something out
> 
> Yoosung★: I’m going there too
> 
> ZEN: Yoosung no just stay put
> 
> Yoosung★: Forget it! !  
>  Yoosung★: I’m not going to sit at home idly while you guys put yourself in danger!
> 
> \- Yoosung★ has logged off – 
> 
> ZEN: Damnit!!!
> 
> Jaehee Kang: I’ll try to keep calling Mr. Han.

***

The crowd that Assistant Kang had mentioned flitted around at the entrance, the lone police officer outside doing his best to keep everyone calm. C&R had its share of protests before but Jumin had never seen such a large group, the entire street was covered with people. They were like a swarm of angry wasps, trying to get inside. Many large signs with anti-alien sentiments waved around in the air, making everything look more menacing.

The female officer with them was busy on her two way radio, desperately asking for backup. From what the Jumin could hear, they were having some serious issues outside. But the thing that bothered him the most was the male officer who wouldn’t stop asking him the strangest questions.

“What exactly has C&R invented that attracted these alien invaders?”

“What? No, we have never invented… something like that?” The man was glaring at him. What exactly was he trying to get at?

Outside someone yelled for action and the crowd got even louder. The poor officer in front grabbed his gun and yelled at them all to get back. The female officer tried to scream over the noise telling they needed people urgently. Between all the chaos, Jumin noted the phone in his pocket was buzzing.

“You’re working with them, aren’t you? Unlike you, I protect my own.” The officer whispered, loud enough for the Jumin to pick it up.

He didn’t have time to reply. It all happened so fast.

A loud gunshot ended all the noise. There was a hole in the thin glass window. People from the crowd stared with their mouths wide open at the police officer, who was now lying on the floor. The puddle of blood beneath the officer spread out rapidly.

Jumin turned his head, and saw the male police officer holding his gun with both hands, eyes cold and focused. Those eyes slowly turned to him, along with the gun.

“I’m not going to give you the time to call your friends so they can take us out.” He said menacingly, taking aim at his head.

“NO!!” The female officer tackled him, knocking his gun straight from his hands and Jumin watched it slide over the floor towards the entrance. One of the protesters grabbed the gun from the dead officer, loudly encouraged by some from the crowd while most of the others stood in fear, unmoving.

“RUN!!” The officer yelled at him while struggling to keep the man down, the man who was supposedly her colleague. Not knowing what else to do, Jumin followed her advice, sprinting away as the angry protestors entered the building. He heard more gunshots and told himself not to look back as he ran further into C&R.

***

It was so hard not to think of the worst scenario possible while he was driving over the allowed speed limit, worried sick to the core because of Seven’s words. The image of the glowing man from the video constantly reappeared in his head over and over, except it was Jumin and Zen wanted to throw up whenever he vanished from his mind’s eye. He gripped the handles of his motorcycle tighter, tried to keep his focus.

When he arrived near the C&R building, it was complete pandemonium. Cars were stacked closely to each other to avoid anyone passing, police in riot gear were trying get the situation under control and there was so much yelling, he couldn’t even hear the sound of his own motorcycle. He quickly found Jaehee who had parked the car at the side of the road, phone at her ear, watching all hell going loose and looking panicked. The moment she saw Zen, she perked up a bit.

“Jaehee, any idea what’s going? Did you reach Jumin?”

“No to both. I asked an officer if they could tell me anything and he looked terrified himself. I wish Seven had told us more, if it’s the aliens again….” Jaehee looked so scared. Truthfully he was as well but now was not the time to collapse. Jumin was in danger and he was going to get him out of that god-forsaken office, no matter what. 

“Is there a back entrance to this building?”

“Yes, of course. It requires a pass to get in which I have. However it’s not possible to get there with the car.” She pointed towards the corner in question and Zen could see the problem – a truck was blocking the path, parked diagonally so that no car could go through. He did see the sidewalk was still wide enough to allow his bike to go through. That was good enough.

“Jaehee, give me the pass. I’ll get Jumin. I need you to wait for Yoosung, he said he’d be here soon. Once he arrives, get the hell out of here.” She opened her mouth to protest, but changed her mind and gave him the pass. Zen wasted no time restarting his motorcycle and drove off. He hoped with every fiber of his being that Jumin was okay.

He almost let his bike fall when he reached the door, jumping off and tempted to just kick the door open. Once he got in, he was greeted with large abandoned hallways and empty office rooms, all glass and marble and unlit. It almost felt like a horror movie with nothing around or moving, not a single noise made except his own shoes as he ran like no tomorrow.

“Jumin!” Zen yelled out, desperately trying to find the dark-haired businessman. Damnit it, he should have asked earlier in the chat where he exactly he was. No, he should have told him not to go, that idiot, why would head back into the lion’s den, get himself kidnapped by these damn aliens-

“Zen?!” He skidded to a halt as he heard his name. Around the corner Jumin appeared and he was so happy, it almost made him dizzy – until he saw Jumin’s pale face and realized he was running away.

Oh shit.

“Jumin! My motorcycle is outside, we can go via the back-“ A gunshot sounded in the distance and he heard something ricochet off the wall next to them. What the hell?!

“No time. Up the stairs!” Jumin pushed him forward and he didn’t protest, a million questions coarsing through his head as they both ran up. Zen could hear angry shouts and human curses coming ever closer.

***

Yoosung had never cycled so fast in his life, nearly crashing into Jaehee who stood in the middle of the road. Leaving his bike on the road, she quickly informed him that Zen had gone to get Jumin. A sea of people fought the riot police in full force, throwing stones and bottles, pushing against their shields unwilling to let them pass. While he gaped the sight, Jaehee tried to pull him into her car, to which he resisted furiously. Crap, she was so much stronger than he thought.

“Zen said we should go!” She yelled at him over the noise.

“But what about Jumin? Is he out already? Did you see them leave?” She shook her head, her serious mask faltering to show her panic and Yoosung pulled himself away from her grasp.

“Then we can’t leave yet. We-“

Gunshots. First just one, then multiple after a few seconds of silence. Jaehee put her hands in front of her mouth, blood draining from her face. He tried to look for its source but there were just so many people and cars that it was impossible. Some of the crowd looked behind them to try to figure out what was happening but quickly got pushed over and nearly trampled by their allies and police alike.

Rapidly going over their options, he turned to Jaehee. She was on her phone, hastily alternating between typing and bringing it to her ear. When she looked at Yoosung, he noticed she had dropped her glasses on the ground.

“I can’t get hold of Mr. Han, Zen or even Luciel.”

“Can we go get them out ourselves?”

“I don’t have another pass for the back door and we will never be able to go through the front entrance.”

Crap.

“Keep trying to call them.” 

Jaehee nodded.

An officer stood close to them on their side of the street, saying something unintelligible over his car phone as he steadied himself with car door. Yoosung ran towards him to alert him that his friends were stuck in that building, that they had to call in the army right away and get them out-

“Kid, shut up! Leave this to the adults, we know what we’re doing! Just go home!” The officer pushed him away.

Damn it! He was so sick of feeling underestimated. So sick of feeling useless. And worse, so sick of actually being useless. He nearly pulled out his hair, sight blurring from anger and frustration.

That’s when he heard the static.

Familiar bizarre whale noises caught his attention and his blood ran cold. A set of screams from different people filled the air, everyone stopping what they were doing as suddenly people started running away from the riot police. Some of them even sprinted away, Yoosung seeing the panic on their faces even underneath their black helmets as they ran past him.

Several mobile phones lay on the ground, screen flashing images he didn’t recognize, a large blurry crackling image hovering over them. Around them lay several banners and cardboard signs, all abandoned as everyone hurried to get away from the ghost-like thing.

It started to float towards him.

He knew he should be scared, but he wasn’t. He didn’t move, didn’t run away even though logic told him he should have moved ages ago. His hands balled up into a fist and anger consumed him. There was no chance in hell he’d let these things take any more of his friends.

Jaehee gasped behind him and Yoosung realized that he wasn’t alone, a few others watching them, hyper focused. Electricity seemed to ripple through the apparition, its transparent shape and blurry colored noise changing constantly in the air. For a second Yoosung swore the form almost seemed human before it shifted again.

Something brushed over his face and it took him a moment to realize it was the strange being, its invisible… something touching him gently. Something like a current ran through him and he felt warm and light, surprising him. Quickly he lifted up his hands but he wasn’t glowing, no sign of the alien trying to take him away. There was a very soft, high-pitched tune and he squinted, tried to focus on it. 

Was it… talking to him? Trying to tell him something?

Maybe, just maybe… He had the wrong idea about the aliens. They all did. This wasn’t like the evil fantasy monsters in his game that wreaked havoc just because they could. This thing could have taken him and all of them easily. The security video came to mind and he remembered how the man didn’t run away either, didn’t seem to be afraid or scared or angry.

Most humans did things for a reason. These aliens must too.

Relief spread through his mind and he smiled at the being as more colors rippled through it.

The silence was interrupted with a loud bang and suddenly he felt warmth bloom in his stomach. Through the specter he saw a woman in casual clothes, holding a gun shakily, face in shock as she realized what she had done. He moved his hands over his shirt and they came up dark-red and wet.

Ah, the aliens weren’t always solid. Seven would like to know that, he thought, as he stumbled and fell backward, head bouncing on the asphalt.

**“YOOSUNG!!”** Jaehee screamed. In an instant she loomed over him, taking off her jacket and pressing it against his stomach.

His head felt so light, unnaturally so and he became aware of how much blood he was losing when the ground underneath his fingers felt wet, the smell of iron too strong in the air. Jaehee yelled something at someone, but he couldn’t hear it. The whale noises returned, amplified in his mind. The being itself hovered near Jaehee.

When his vision started to blur, all he could think of was that it was sad he couldn’t see the alien anymore.

***

They were trapped.

With both of them running out of strength to run up more stairs and their enemies approaching, they opted to run into the nearest office. As they tried to barricade the door, a bullet went right through the wood, nearly hitting them and forcing them away. That filing cabinet was not going to hold for long with people battering it, trying to force their way in.

Jumin looked at Zen who was trying to move the desk only to find it bolted to the floor. Why did he have to be here? Why was he here in the first place?

No, those questions didn’t matter now. Jumin grabbed Zen’s arm, halting any other effort of moving things and looked him straight in the eyes, bright red and displaying pure fear. It killed him to see Zen like this. His own hands trembled as he spoke, trying to stay calm.

“Zen, they only want me. They think I have something to do with the aliens. You should drag me out there, pretend you’re with them. Save yourself-“

“Don’t be an idiot!!” Zen grabbed the front of Jumin’s suit jacket, fear turning into anger. “As if I would ever do that!”

“But they’re going to kill you!” Why wouldn’t he just do what he said? Why couldn’t Zen, for once in his life, for once when it counted, just do what he wanted?

“I don’t care! I’m not going to hand you over to those monsters! I’m not-“ Zen choked, his voice breaking off, loosening his grip on Jumin but keeping his hands there. The corners of those scared red eyes welled up rapidly.

The setting sun shining through the wall-sized windows illuminated Zen’s frame, part of him blending with the shadows as the rest of his features haloed, the contrast making him impossibly beautiful. At this point he had become a living Rembrandt painting. Jumin wished that somehow he could capture this as a picture, keep it with him forever. 

The muffled yells and the loud splintering of the door reminded him how little time they had left.

It was so hard not to cry. The back of his eyes burned. His face strained from the effort, concentrating so hard on keeping control instead of turning into a blubbering mess which his body wanted so much.

Gently, he placed his hand over Zen’s, feeling warmth seep into his cold shaking fingers. Zen didn’t pull away.

“I’m dead either way.”

It hurt so much more, hearing himself whisper the words. The anger in Zen’s face vanished and was replaced with a deep sadness and a small smile.

“Well, I’m not leaving. Here’s hoping whatever comes next doesn’t suck.” A joke. Jumin couldn’t laugh.

For a second, it was only them. Only Zen standing so close to him, their hands connected, looking right at each other, saying everything with just a gaze. Like magnetism, Jumin’s head moving before his brain could catch up, he closed the gap between them and captured those pale lips, kissing him softly. The hand not holding Zen’s wrapped around his body, moving him forward a bit. His eyes fluttered close, increasing the pleasant feeling coursing through his veins.

It was just one kiss. He already knew one would never be enough.

Zen didn’t move. Jumin pulled back with much regret, knowing he’s crossed too many lines. Opening his eyes, Zen looked like he was angry with him. Understandably so. He hoped Zen would forgive him in the next life.

Suddenly Zen pulled him in again, kissing him with more passion, his hands cradling Jumin’s neck. Jumin released Zen’s hand and now hugged the white-haired man fully as their mouths fitted on top of each other perfectly, breathing through their noses so they didn’t have to part.

It was pure bliss. If only they weren’t here. If only he had found the wisdom and the courage to do this earlier, unprompted by fear.

Why did it have to be like _this_?

Just as the kiss deepened, the filing cabinet fell over on the ground with a loud crash, the door lock breaking open. They jumped apart but Jumin quickly grabbed Zen’s hand and gripped it tight as the door broke down; members of the angry crowd came rushing in, the police officer with the cold glare up front, his gun pointed right at him.

Zen squeezed his hand tightly. Jumin begged God to let it be over soon.

***

The CCTV cameras all activated at once, just in time for Seven to watch how the entire RFA was in mortal peril. With pain shooting through his heart he saw how Yoosung lie on the street, a large puddle of blood forming around him while Jaehee was trying to stem it, everyone around them just _watching_ them. In another screen he saw people ram open a door with a heavy solid object, breaking it into pieces; they closed in on Jumin and Zen.

Vanderwood watched with him, gaping, muttering something unintelligible. Seven was silent but in his mind he was screaming.

01110111 01100101 00100111 01110010 01100101 01100111 01101111 01101001 01101110 01100111 01110100 01101111 01100100 01101001 01100101 01101000 01100101 00100111 01110011 01100100 01111001 01101001 01101110 01100111 01001001 01100100 01101111 01101110 00100111 01110100 01101011 01101110 01101111 01110111 01110111 01101000 01100001 01110100 01110100 01101111 01100100 01101111  
_(we'regoingtodiehe'sdyingIdon'tknowwhattodo)_

The numbers kept filling the main monitor, thoughts that he knew the alien was picking up from him and everyone he was watching repeating itself over and over.

What could he do? What could he do?! There was nothing he could do. Streams of tears ran down his face, the collar of his shirt collecting every drop. His hands held onto his computer chair, frozen.

How could this have happened? Jumin was supposed to get out of C&R and get to safety, instead the entire RFA had gone there instead. If those aliens hadn’t warned him… No, they had just tried to help. It was his fault for not being more specific to everyone.

_It’s because of me that they’re going to die. This is my fault. My fault myfaultmyfault._

All of his PC screens save the one with the live security footage changed to static, the noise was hellishly loud. Vanderwood scrambled backwards, nearly tripping, and yelled something obscene. Seven refused to move and watched the static come to life; it moved out of his screen and floated right in front of him. It was a familiar presence.

“It’s you, isn’t it?” He said, trying hard to keep his voice steady. It wasn’t as large as it seemed on the video. If anything, it was smaller than him. This would have been such a joyous moment had it happened any other time.

The video. Maybe they could… It was such a dangerous thing to ask, to even wonder… but right now he would risk everything he had.

The gelatin-like thing quivered as he moved even closer to it, red and black lines running up and down. 

“You guys have the ability to teleport people, right? You take them and they go somewhere else, right!?” Words were hard but he didn’t care. They could sense his feelings. They knew what he wanted.

The alien just swayed in the air, giving no response.

“I beg of you, save them. Save them, they don’t deserve any of this.” He clasped his hands together, as if begging to God. Perhaps it was the same thing, after all, they had so much more power than a mere human could ever have. He was prepared to slide down on the floor and kneel if he had to.

“Save them and bring them here. I’ll do anything, anything you want. You can have anything you want if it’s mine to give.” 

They could take his life and he’d be fine with it. His existence had little meaning, giving it up for the RFA would perhaps be the best thing he’d ever done. Something in the back of his mind told him that they might not, that it was still possible for his life to become even worse than this thanks to them. Despite that fear, he stood fast, holding on to his promise. 

“Agent Seven, you can’t be serious!” Vanderwood yelled behind him.

Seven couldn’t particularly care for her concern right now.

It touched his hand. It tingled with warmth, a feeling similar to when he had put his fingers on his computer screen. He turned his hand, palm upward and something grasped it. So much gentler than he had expected.

Adrenaline rushed through his body and his eyes rolled to the back of his head, the unexpected flood pulsating through his brain as his mind went completely blank.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops don't kill me~


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seven uses she/her pronouns for Vanderwood, everyone else uses either they or he/him.
> 
> Art here is made by the amazingly talented mindofjen! Go commission her at mindofjen.tumblr.com!

No matter how she held her hands and how much pressure she applied, Yoosung was dying. Her black jacket became even darker as blood soaked it, staining her fingers.

“SOMEBODY HELP HIM!” Jaehee yelled at the people around her. They didn’t move, just gaped at them in horror. The woman who shot him had ran off; no one had stopped her.

She wanted to go over to them and slap each and every one of them for being like this. Why won’t they help!?

The alien. They were terrified of it.

The strange jellyfish hovered circles around them, making strange noises. It still scared her, but the prospect of losing the young blond overrode all other fear. Yoosung had stopped talking, eyes half-closed as he looked at the sky. Calling an ambulance was impossible as the only thing her phone did now was display blurry images.

She didn’t know what to do. The prospect of possibly being the only one left alive in the RFA pained her so much, she wanted to throw up.

_What do I do oh God tell me what do I do what do I do-_

The floating thing stopped moving. It froze in the sky, nearly disappearing completely due to its peculiar transparency. The bizarre sight would have made her stop to stare at it had it not been for the warmth of blood soaking her hands. It moved closer until was it was almost on top of them, shielding them in a dome of static.

All of the sudden, Yoosung lit up like the sun. She watched as the light enveloped her hands, moved up her body, and almost blended them together. The feelings of pain vanished and Yoosung’s solid form slowly faded from her touch, even though he was still there. She wanted to scream but no sound left her - she didn't even feel her mouth move.

When her eyesight blurred and the sounds of the crowd screaming dimmed, she felt nothing but calm.

 

 

 

***

He wasn’t going to cry. He wouldn’t let himself. Jumin was holding himself strong and **damnit** , so would he!

The promise was nearly broken when that gun pointed towards the executive. Zen wanted to throw himself in front of Jumin but his body wouldn’t allow him. All he could was lamely grip his hand tighter, his own body visibly trembling. He selfishly begged God and whatever else there could be for the cop not to shoot Jumin first, to not let Zen see him die in his arms.

If this had been a Hollywood movie, he might have shot the window and they would jump out of the building, landing into a conveniently-placed helicopter that would take them to safety.

But this wasn’t a movie. He didn’t have a gun and no helicopter could save them now.

Reality happened in slow motion. The officer screamed at them but Zen didn’t hear any of it. The phone in his pocket vibrated so much that it wasn’t normal. His hand felt very warm, almost searing hot and he looked to his left.

Jumin was glowing.

The crowd exclaimed in shock, pushing each other against the wall just to try to get away. Even the officer looked like he wanted to run, dropping his gun to the floor. Jumin stared at his free hand, astonished as it faded away, then looked at him.

_NO!!_

On reflex Zen threw himself at Jumin, wrapped his arms around his waist, holding on for his dear life as it felt like he was dissolving, the floor and the sky vanishing all at once. The warmth spread rapidly through him and somehow he could feel Jumin holding him back, even though his arms had already disappeared and it continued on to the rest of his body.

Jumin’s dark eyes became bright, translucent, static, and faded away just before Zen’s vision was filled with pure light.

 

 

 

***

Gone. They were all gone.

When the alien released Seven’s hand, he felt strangely tired, a mental drain overcoming him. The skin on his face burned where his tears have been but his eyes were dry. Gasping, he quickly looking around, the digital clock showing only a few seconds had passed. On his screen there were only empty spaces where members of the RFA had been.

Dread hit him.

“Where are they?” He whispered towards nothing, voice quivering.

No words. Not even numbers on his screen. He would have guessed the being had left if it hadn’t let out another ripple of colors, showing its exact location near his desk. It was a lot smaller now, shrunk to half its size.

“You saved them. Thank you but please… return them to me. Bring them here.”

The silence was deafening.

Had he not been clear enough? Did they not understand his request? Or did they simply chose to do something else, to keep them like all the others?

No. No no no he wouldn’t let them. They couldn't do this to him!

Pushing away his exhaustion, he quickly reached out and grabbed the static, surprised to realize he could. The moment his hand grasped something smooth, electrifying and yet cold, a high shrill note rang through his brain and he had to close his eyes to focus, to hold on.

 _Please. Let me go._ The words resonated in his mind like an echo. God almighty he could actually hear them.

“No! Not until you give them back!” It was almost impossible to hear his own voice with the static in his mind.

 _We cannot give them back._ The spoken words sounded different, pitched lower than the one before. This was clearly someone else communicating with him now.

“You can’t have them! I told you, you can have anything you want from ME! I thought we made a deal, damn you!!”

This wasn’t happening. He didn’t want to be alone – this was worse than dying.

Now he was truly living his worst nightmare. A special level in Hell, created by him, occupied by only him. The rim of his eyes pulsed, body unable to create more tears.

Multiple voices started speaking, ranging from calm to angry, filling his head to the brim - no longer talking to him but through him. His own feelings of fear were pushed aside, nearly making him feel like a robot as they seemed to take over.

_They never asked to be taken. They should not have been taken._

_Why did we take them?_

_I was the one who forced the request._

_You have brought instability. You have put us in danger._

_You know what will happen when we bring them back._

Seven’s brain was close to bursting.

_I know. And I accept what needs to be done._

_So be it._

The voices stopped and the static became so loud that the pain was unreal. Seven let go, clutching his own head. Soon it ebbed away leaving him with a throbbing feeling in the back of his head, almost as if he was close to a migraine.

In the corner of his eyes he noticed his jellyfish friend had disappeared.

“HOLY CRAP!”

At Vanderwood’s sudden outburst, Seven opened his eyes and whirled around to the other side of the room. Immediately he had to hold his hands up to block part of his sight as several large shapes of pure light grew larger, so intense it was like looking at the sun. The shapes turned into human forms, angled in strange ways, the light dimming away to reveal who they really were.

All of them fell to the ground, the floor shaking from the sudden weight. Jumin and Zen were still clinging to each other, sitting up dazed. Jaehee looked extremely disoriented and fell down after she got up. Seven was so happy, his vision spun.

The joy made way for panic when he saw Jaehee’s white sleeves were stained red. Yoosung, flat on his back and wheezing, was still bleeding.

Vanderwood wasted no time, picking the blond up as fast and gentle as she could. She rushed him over and kicked open the door to what Seven called the clean room. Last time he had to use it, he got stitched up when a counteragent nearly caught him. It was the room that he wished wasn’t needed.

“Seven! Where are the emergency hospital supplies!?” Vanderwood yelled and Seven scrambled to open a hidden compartment in the wall, taking out a large square plastic case. He ran over to the room but Vanderwood grabbed the case and pushed him away.

“Let me help, I know what to do-“ Seven protested.

“Absolutely not. You look like you’re going to pass out any minute.” She wasn’t wrong. It took all he had just to stand and talk.

“But there’s no way you can do this alone!”

If Yoosung died, he would never forgive himself. He would be the lowest of the low for letting him die in his own home. He was already the lowest of the low for getting him in this state.

It was as if Vanderwood read his mind.

“Seven, from what I saw the bullet hit his stomach. If I can get it out without rupturing a major artery, he’ll be fine.”

“If I may interrupt,” The two of them whirled around to find Jaehee standing behind them, fully determined, “I have done a medical course for C&R and I have a steady hand. I can join you.”

“You just got… light-vomited out of wherever the hell you guys were. Are you sure?” Vanderwood asked her.

Jaehee nodded, steel in her eyes.

The agent sighed and gave in.

When they closed the door, Seven was torn between worrying himself to death for Yoosung or being impressed at how mentally strong Jaehee was that she could set everything aside to do what was most important now. It especially didn’t help the fact that his body was screaming for him to lie down.

Turning around, he saw Zen had detached himself from Jumin, both men now standing, faces full of concern. He could imagine the two of them being seriously confused about this all. Just as he was about to explain what just happened, Jumin held his hands up interrupting him.

“Luciel. Go get some rest.”

Zen nodded. Seven figured he must look absolutely dreadful. He wanted to stay awake, to be there in case things went wrong with Yoosung but his body was literally shutting down.

On instinct, he dragged himself over to his bedroom, falling into his race-car shaped bed. He was so tired, he couldn’t even be bothered to change clothes or put the blanket over him. Warmth appeared next to his waist and he turned to it.

The alien was so small now, like a tiny cloud of static. Seven couldn’t stop his smile.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

It hummed pleasantly as Seven curled around it, his brain shutting down before he could say or think anything else.

 

 

 

***

His phone confirmed that his email had been successfully sent, though he wasn’t sure if the recipient would ever read it.

Jumin sat on Seven’s ragged couch while Zen paced around in front of him, having done nothing else for hours. It was distracting but he didn’t feel like saying anything about it. In a way, he welcomed the irritation as it was better than the horrible negative feelings that threatened to overtake his entire mind.

When he had been... absorbed, he supposed was the best word for it, it was like he was part of a whole, different thoughts and emotions floating through each other. It was peaceful, even when he became privy to the memories of what had happened to Yoosung, the emotions that Assistant Kang and Zen felt just before they got taken and even the thoughts of the client that had been kidnapped before his very eyes. So much sadness and anger. Taking it all in hadn’t been a burden, as if there were many of them handling it at the same time.

Now that he was back however, his mind was anything but calm. He couldn’t shake the memory of the dead police officer outside C&R, the angry faces of the people who ran after him, ready to take him down without explanation. He had never known there were people out there that hated him so much. Never would he wish the same experience on anyone.

Calling his father only directed him to his voicemail. He re-read the email, a request to a glass specialist to replace all windows with the best safety glass - if C&R still stood when he returned. Scrolling further, an older email now displayed his screen, one sent by his maid a small while ago to confirm that Elizabeth was doing fine. Would he ever return to her?

Jumin clenched his hand and dug his fingers into his leg, trying to stay in control.

“Jumin?” Looking up from his screen, Zen had stopped his endless circling to hover over him. He wasn’t angry or upset, only worried. Worried about him. Just like the time when the aliens first showed up in the boardroom. Just like he had been when they were trapped in that office.

“I’m fine.” He lowered his gaze and instantly chastised himself for the action, for making the lie so obvious.

“Fine my ass. I’m not fine at all and I know you’re not.”

He tried not to grind his teeth. Zen must have seen and felt what he had experienced.

“Damn it Jumin, stop pretending!”

As always Zen wouldn’t relent, grabbing Jumin’s shoulders and forcing them to look at each other. Now he glared as he spoke. Jumin glared back, unwilling to lose the battle.

“You saw someone get killed in front of you! And those people chasing us! And Yoosung getting shot! If that doesn’t mess someone up, then I don’t know what... And our kiss-“

“That was a mistake. It was kind of you to humor me when you thought I was going to die.” Lie, lie lie lie. Even now he was staring at those lips, wanting to capture them and relive the only moment in the last hours that was a dream in the nightmare. But Jumin had felt the hesitation of the actor, the confusion, anger, desperation and sadness, so much it made his heart heavy.

It was better if things went back to the way they were. Just like before, he could be content just watching him, teasing him on the messenger, to be around him while he achieved his dream without anyone’s help the way Zen wanted to. It will be hard to fool himself as he had before, but he would manage. Zen did not need him, did not want him and he should respect that.

His hand around his phone tightened as the memory of the kiss appeared again.

_Liar._

Those red eyes turned livid.

“Humor you?! You fff-” Zen hissed and then stopped himself. The hands on his shoulders pushed a bit harder, making Jumin sink into the couch more.

“Do you seriously thi- Seriously, God, you just- you're such a self-absorbed-!” Zen visibly struggled with the words, letting go of his shoulders and waved his hands in the air trying to explain what he meant. He was becoming angrier by the second. Jumin stared at him, didn’t know what to say.

Zen fell silent and ran a hand through his hair, staring at the ceiling while clenching his fist.

_Just hit me. Get it over with._

“You know what, forget it.” Zen abruptly turned from him. He stomped away and sat down against the wall, pissed off.

This was fine. This was good for both of them.

His chest hurt so much.

The door opened and they both got up. Jumin pushed his thoughts away, trying to erase any trace of what had happened. Assistant Kang walked out, sleeves rolled all the way up to her shoulders and taking off her face mask, followed by the stranger in the purple V-neck shirt who was removing their gloves and tossing them in the bin.

“He’s stable. The bullet didn’t go in deep. He doesn’t know how lucky he is.” The strange person said before thanking Assistant Kang for her help. She nodded and told them that removing a bullet was something she never thought she’d experience in her lifetime. Zen complimented her while Jumin let out a sigh of relief. Only now he noticed she wasn’t wearing her glasses or her jacket. Seeing the circumstances, there was no point bringing it up.

The digital alarm clock buzzed. It was now 3 AM.

“I’ll see if I can find some mattresses or sleeping bags for you all.” The stranger was putting on their long leather jacket and their attire was so unusual, Jumin guessed that whatever his job is, it wasn’t something normal. Just like Seven. Perhaps, also a hacker?

“Actually, I’m not sleepy at all. I feel like I just drank 2 cups of coffee.” Zen said. Now that he mentioned it, Jumin realized he was also wide awake. Assistant Kang agreed, leaving the possible hacker surprised.

Jumin walked over to them. If they were going to be stuck in Seven’s home, they might as well get acquainted with the unknown person that knew Luciel.

“My name is Jumin Han. We’re affiliated with Luciel through the RFA. You are?”

He held out his hand but the brunette didn’t take it, crossing their arms and looking at him warily.

“I suppose you can call me Mary Vanderwood like Seven does.” If that didn’t scream code name, he didn’t know what did.

“Mr. or Ms. Vanderwood…?” Jaehee asked. Vanderwood shook their head and told her either was fine.

“Wait, you’re the maid he mentioned?” Zen looked surprised at the revelation. Seven’s possible companion almost had a fit.

“MAID?! Aaargh, that little-“

While ‘Mary Vanderwood’ had some kind of weird tantrum, Jumin’s phone buzzed and he was greeted with the requested livestream of Elizabeth the 3rd sleeping on his bed. At least there was something in his life he could depend on. With a slight smile, he retired himself to Seven’s couch again.

 

 

 

***

5 AM. She was still wide awake but there was nothing she could do.

There was no doubt in her mind that something the aliens did gave them this boost of energy. They had also saved them all from a horrible situation. Maybe she should revise her opinion on them, though she wanted to wait until Seven told us more.

Jaehee sat on Seven’s computer chair, its height not at all comfortable for her posture. Out of curiosity she had tried to access Seven’s computer but was greeted with a login screen so cryptic she gave up within seconds.

Bored, she looked at her blazer which was now in the trash can along with her blood-splattered shirt. Vanderwood had advised her to get rid of it as blood was not something she wanted to bring to a dry cleaner. He promised her he’d burn it and gave her one of Seven’s blouses that apparently he used on ‘missions’. She didn’t question it.

The black blouse was too snug in front, but it still beat wearing Yoosung’s blood.

She looked at her hands. Wasn’t it Lady Macbeth that imagined blood on her hands? Maybe this was what it had felt like, to imagine red on her palms and to remember the helplessness.

The operation was still fresh in her head, remembering how adept Vanderwood had been in removing the bullet, not even flinching when so much blood poured out and complimenting her on being able to wipe it away without fainting. It wasn’t something she planned on putting on her resume.

She still hadn’t asked anything when they were done. There was so much about Seven she didn’t know and she wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

Zen popped up from around the corner, holding a can and a glass in his hands.

“Drink? You have a choice between… Dr. Pepper and water.”

Maybe she’d gift Seven a coffee machine for his birthday.

“Water is fine.” He handed her the glass and leaned against the wall across her. She took a sip, not really thirsty.

The sound of cloth shifting caught their attention and both of them looked towards Mr. Han staring at his phone for hours now, having moved a bit on the couch. She turned back to Zen, who was doing his best to focus on his soda.

There wasn’t much to discuss. She had felt and seen and experienced everything her boss and her idol had, alongside so many other emotions from people she’s never met.

She had never expected Mr. Han’s feelings for Zen to be so strong. She wasn’t prepared for the emotions that followed from Zen afterwards. The revelation should have sent her reeling, the idea alone nothing but absurd. The memory should have been enough to send her into absolute panic. But in that short moment when they were all one, it made sense. Perhaps if they had been melted together longer, she would have seen more and understood more.

Right now though, they had to work through this the way normal people did.

Zen, the cool and confident television idol that she fawned over was so different from the real Zen; it was easy to disconnect the two, now even more after the mind melt. It killed her to remember Zen’s confusion. She knew he cared for Jumin. So much that all their arguments in the messenger app didn’t make sense.

Though now that she thought about it, perhaps it made a lot of sense.

She sighed deeply. Zen was still Zen, no matter how much her view on him had changed. And he needed her support.

“Maybe you should talk to him. Maybe it’ll help you figure out what you want.”

Red eyes kept staring at the red soda can, avoiding Jaehee’s gaze.

“We talked earlier. It didn’t help.”

“Nothing will happen if you don’t do something about it.”

Zen worried his lip, contemplating her words. He pushed away from the wall, tossing the Dr. Pepper in the trash.

“Jaehee, perhaps… You should follow your own advice.”

She raised her eyebrows as he walked back to the kitchen. So Zen had felt that too? Her doubt about working at C&R, something that lingered in the back of her mind constantly, even earlier this afternoon.

Which only meant Mr. Han knew as well. She wasn’t sure what this meant for her, though she knew that as long as they couldn’t leave Seven’s bunker it didn’t matter.

She didn’t want to think about it. Time to check on Yoosung – perhaps seeing the young boy not bleed to death for once would put her mind at ease.

The door to the clean room creaked as she entered. She hoped she wasn’t contaminating everything just by doing this. Though Vanderwood had said that it didn’t matter and she’d have to scrub everything once Yoosung could be moved.

The room was rather tiny, with a rectangle metal table in the middle where they had operated Yoosung and several hanging cabinets on the wall. Several recently washed surgical tools lay next to the washing basin. The iron smell still permeated the air - there wasn't even a tiny window they could open for ventilation. The blond boy was lying on the small bed next to the wall, sleeping peacefully, his hair wild on the pillow. To her surprise Vanderwood was with him, looking like he’s just changed Yoosung’s bandages.

“You’re not tired?” Jaehee asked gently to avoid startling him.

“I am but it’s important to do this. I’m not having anyone dying on me. Thank you again for your help by the way – it’s good to know Seven’s friends are so reliable.”

She thanked him for the compliment. He seemed like a rough type of person but there was a kind side to him as well. Without him, she knew Yoosung might not have made it and she was more than grateful.

“How is he?”

“He’s doing fine. Ridiculously so even – his wounds are already closing. Does he have supernatural healing powers or something?”

The only person she knew that healed relatively fast was Zen but even he didn’t heal _that_ fast.

“Do you think…?” She asked and Vanderwood looked to her, eyes wide. They scanned the room but nothing was out of the ordinary, as ordinary as Seven's home could be. Were they being too paranoid?

Maybe this was another ‘gift’ from the aliens. She helped cover Yoosung with a blanket and they left the room, the shaggy brunette casting one last glance behind them.

When they returned to the living room, Zen was still in the kitchen and Mr. Han still on the couch, eyes glued to the screen. Vanderwood sat down in the corner, leaning his head against the white wall and closing his eyes.

Just as she sat down on Seven’s chair, resigning herself to more hours of boredom, her phone buzzed.

A picture appeared on her screen. It was blurry but she was able to make out herself and Vanderwood in the clean room, just when they looked around. Immediately her blood ran cold – there was definitely something watching them and this was their way of letting her know.

Never mind revising her opinion. The sooner these things left her life, the better.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the fast updates, trying to push them out because they've been lying around for so long! The next update will be slower - this was the last part that I wrote early.

His alarm went off and Seven’s hand reached for it automatically. He blinked his eyes a few times, still drowsy and found himself staring at the concrete ceiling. His face had dents in it from sleeping on top of his jacket’s zipper. The warmth in his arm quickly reminded him of what had happened before he passed out. He gasped, head spinning from the sudden action.

_Don’t be scared. Your friend is alright. He’s sleeping right now._

The tiny orb of electricity hummed a bit as he looked down at it, the light pulsing through it barely visible. The alien had never lied to him before, so he had to reason to distrust its words.

Thank you God, he thought. Thank you for not letting Yoosung die in my home. 

He caressed the alien with his hand. The smooth surface tingled under its fingers.

_Hi Seven Oh Seven_

It sounded so weak. It worried him. He sat up; for some reason his head was heavy like he hadn’t gotten enough rest.

_I’m sorry. I used a bit more of your energy to sustain myself. I understand if you’re upset._

“S-sustain yourself?” The question left him before he could stop himself, already knowing the horrible answer that would follow.

_I just need to last a little longer._

No. No way.

_Meeting you has made us so happy. Thank you Seven._

It had saved the RFA. Done so much for him.

He wasn’t going to let it die.

With the tiny alien now firmly in his arms, he jumped off the bed and ran towards his bedroom door, kicking it open. He nearly stumbled over his loose shoelaces as he barged into the living room. Zen, Jumin and Jaehee jumped up startled and Vanderwood fell on her side from her sleeping position, gasping awake.

Ignoring their confused questions, he ran to his desk, pushing a loudly protesting Jaehee out of the way. He checked behind his computer, almost dropping the alien in the mess of wires, and found the main power cable.

Scissors, he needed scissors! He nearly fell sideways, using one hand to open all the drawers underneath his desk and found the object in question. A firm hand grabbed his wrist and he turned towards a glaring long-haired brunette.

“Before you electrocute yourself, can you tell us what the hell you’re doing?!”

The others looked at him alarmed, though he wasn’t sure if it was because of him or the being he was holding in his hand. Damn it Vanderwood - he didn’t have time for this!

“It-it’s dying! These aliens, they’re made of pure energy! That’s why we only see them come out of electronic devices! If I can feed it electricity, maybe I can save it!”

He tore himself out of Vanderwood’s grip. Just as he was about to cut the cord, Vanderwood pulled the plug from the wall. Enraged and confused, he tried to grab the plug but the taller agent dodged him easily.

“Seven, the only things they’ve appeared from are televisions and phones! If what you say is correct, wouldn’t they have also appeared out of microwaves and hair dryers? What you are doing is dangerous!!”

“We don’t know that! Just because we haven’t seen it happen-”

The soft tone that emanated in his head interrupted him.

_Seven… We can… Travel through electricity… Not…_

The voice trailed off as it failed trying to continue speaking in his mind. Seven held it with both hands and watched the lights dim even further, almost becoming a dull gray. He fell to the ground, his kneecaps hurting from the hard concrete and his glasses almost fell from his face. He didn’t care.

No no no no no no-

Tears streamed out of his eyes and he couldn’t see properly anymore.

“Please, please… Just-! Just stay alive!”

How cruel was fate to let the being that gave him so much hope and happiness, more than anyone else had in the past years, die right before him? Was this the result of him asking for too much? Was it his curse that someone he cared for had to suffer simply because of his own wants?

Take my energy then, he thought. Take it and let me die and live on.

_No… Kind… Please…_

It refused? He didn’t understand why. What about him was so good that an alien refused to drain him?

“Seven, I…” Zen’s hesitant voice made him look up. Jaehee was holding her hand in front of her mouth, nearly crying while Zen and Jumin both gazed at them with deep concern. He hated it, hated their pity, hated his own uselessness.

He heard the sound of a door opening behind him. They all turned around and Seven saw the near-blurry image of a young blond walk out of the clean room, his upper body covered in spotless bandages.

“Yoosung…?”

It was Yoosung alright, but something was off. There was something about the way he behaved that unsettled Seven deeply. He had the sneaking suspicion it wasn’t _just_ Yoosung.

“You’re right, Seven.” Yoosung replied, voice unnaturally even. Seven’s eyes grew large, his vision returning due to the boost of adrenaline.

Jaehee let out a scream and took a few steps back, back against the wall as she pointed at Yoosung. “You’re that _-thing!-_ that was watching us earlier!”

The person that was possibly not Yoosung nodded, shocking everyone. Vanderwood raised her arms in a defensive manner, trying to keep the rest of the RFA behind her. 

“I’m sorry. I did not mean to alarm you.”

Enraged, Zen balled his fists and rushed forward. For a moment Seven thought he was going to punch the blond but Zen stopped right in front of him.

“You give Yoosung back right now!! I don’t know where you get off taking over people’s bodies but-“

“Zen, stop!” The blond raised his hands and interrupted Zen effectively, “It’s still me! It asked if it could share my body - and I said yes.”

What?? Seven couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

Yoosung’s demeanor shifted again and he calmly walked past Zen who was now speechless. With a gaze in his eyes that made Seven feel like he could find the galaxy in there, he knelt down in front of Seven, and touched the fading orb that was on his lap.

The orb started to glow, warmth seeping into Seven’s fingers.

Within seconds, its heat was so intense that Seven was forced to let go. It fell to the ground and grew large, its round shape stretching out. He scrambled backwards and everyone held their hands in front of their face, the light as bright as the sun.

The light faded away, revealing a body. A body with arms, legs and a head.

Human.

Seven gaped at the person that was now standing in the middle of his living room. They lifted up their hands and gazed curiously at them, turning them around and bending their fingers. Their simple clothing made Seven suspect this body wasn’t just created right then and there. 

It must have gotten teleported in.

They wobbled and fell over. Seven rushed over to them and caught them just in time, putting his arm under theirs to keep them upright. When they looked at him, their eyes seemed perfectly normal, pupils changing in size to adjust to the light. The static he usually heard wasn’t there. All he felt was regular heat coming off their androgynous body.

Truly human.

And yet…

“Is it… still you?” 

They nodded, their face neutral. Seven felt his heart skip a beat. The alien he held just moments ago was now human. Unbelievable.

“Is this your true form?” Their actual form. Their original form. Whatever they called it. Were they human before they became those energy things?

They shook their head.

“I believe this is one of the humans that died just as we took them.” Yoosung, now standing again, said matter-of-factly. The words scared him more than his blank face did.

Seven didn’t know what he had done, or why, or if he was even okay with the idea of aliens to debase the respectable dead like this - but this new alien had saved his friend and his joy overruled anything else, thanking them in his head. Yoosung nodded again and Seven didn’t know if he liked or hated their mind-reading. Those purple eyes held no emotion and did nothing to put him at ease.

His friend wobbled again, making him hold on to them tighter, their sides touching as they held on to his arms. Social norms told him that what he was doing was inappropriate, but the newly formed human didn’t seem to care at all, not even a blush or a hint of nervousness.

“Why-why can’t I stand up on my own?” They asked Yoosung, who stood there with his arms down, unmoving like a robot.

“You’re weak from your dying form. As you get used to your new body, you will regain your strength.”

“Could someone please explain what is going on?! Yoosung, why are you doing this?” Jumin’s voice cut through the tense air, the dark-haired man finally overcoming his own shock. 

His new human friend was about to reply but Yoosung held up his hand, stopping them before they could finish the first word. “I’m sorry Jumin, but I can’t tell you anything now – I promised them I wouldn’t.” Yoosung looked sincere. The constant expression shift was giving Seven whiplash.

“Of course not. That would be too easy.” Vanderwood growled.

“AARGH!” Zen yelled out frustrated, and stomped off to the kitchen. Not-Yoosung didn’t seem bothered by it, asking Jaehee if he could get a shirt for him. She went to Seven’s bedroom without hesitation, fear clear in her eyes.

Seven gently put his new human friend on the couch, wondering what in the world he was going to do now. They let go of him, though their eyes roamed his entire form, seeming to take in every detail of how he looked. It made him feel warm inside.

“Do you have a name?”

They shook their head. “None of us have needed one before.”

That was to be expected. His stomach rumbled. Right, he hadn’t eaten anything yet. Seven grabbed a bag of chips, sitting down next to the new human as they looked at him in fascination.

While the alien took their time to check out their new form and the snack he had offered them, he tried to ignore everyone’s uncomfortable stares. He just couldn’t talk to them face-to-face now. Luckily, he always carried his smartphone in his jacket pocket.

***

It was too much. With the alien inside Yoosung, this new human that popped out from Seven’s tiny alien thing and no explanations offered, Zen couldn’t stand being in the living room with them anymore. He returned to the place where he had already spent hours in and accepted that this should just be his new home, having no other area to go to.

The kitchen was small and boring, all tiles, hanging cupboards and plastic counters. Not a poster or something that screamed home in sight. There wasn’t even a window, the only thing that told him the time was round clock that didn’t make a sound.

What he wouldn’t give for a cigarette right now.

He heard the sound of footsteps and turned around to face no one other than Jumin. On the list of people he couldn’t really deal with at this moment, he stood firmly in the top five.

“I would like some water.” His face told him that Zen wasn’t the only one who needed to get out of that room for a moment.

Zen made way for him, not saying a word. He forced himself to keep watching as Jumin grabbed a glass and fiddled with the tap longer than he needed to.

Their conversation that ran through Zen’s mind for hours before more shit hit the fan returned. He was still confused. It was so obvious that Jumin was trying to act like he didn’t care but there was no doubting those emotions he had felt when they were all meshed together like some messed up alien cocktail.

A mistake. That word still set him off faster than lightning, rage consuming him just thinking of it.

And Jumin had the gall to thank him for humoring him. God damn it. How dare he!

Trust Fund didn’t even look at him when he passed him, leaving the kitchen and Zen glared at him, tempted to grab him, force a conversation out of him. But the moment passed and he was gone.

He sighed and slid down the wall onto the ground. Tracing his lips with his fingers, he recalled their kiss. It was so unexpected. If they hadn’t been where they were, he might have punched him.

Instead he kissed him back. If he was very honest with himself, it had been a spur of the moment decision. But there was something right about it, something wholesome – he had never experienced that feeling before. It wasn’t anything like the kisses from his ex-girlfriends or the ones in his head when he imagined himself rescuing maidens fair.

And the way Jumin looked at him…

Aaargh! That jerk infuriated and confused him so much he couldn’t stand it. Why did it have to be Jumin Han? Why did he have to deal with this on top of freaking aliens as well?? And to think a day ago he was worried his musical might get cancelled. It would be nice to have only those worries again. Now he didn't know what to do or even to say.

His head made a dull sound on the wall tiles as he let it drop against them, hoping the coolness would numb his brain a bit.

His pocket vibrated and Zen took out his smartphone, wondering who in the world was trying to reach him.

\- Message from 707: -  
_get on the messenger_

Well, he certainly didn’t expect that.

> \- Jaehee Kang has logged in –  
>  \- ZEN has logged in –  
>  \- Jumin Han has logged in- 
> 
> 707: I know you guys have a million questions, so I thought it’d be nice if we came together, RFA style!
> 
> ZEN: What’s the point of this  
>  ZEN: We’re all literally a few steps away
> 
> 707: I’m not going to start yelling  
>  707: Come back then, Yoosung just went to the clean room
> 
> ZEN: I’m staying right here thank you very much  
>  ZEN: Your new… buddy is still there with you, right?
> 
> 707: Is that who you’re worried about?  
>  707: No need to fear, I can promise that they’re friendly  
>  707: I just gave them Honey Buddha Chips to eat  
>  707: They’re constantly staring at every piece they take out, it’s kinda cute~
> 
> ZEN: ‘Cute’. Right. :/
> 
> Jaehee Kang: I can’t believe the first thing an alien gets to eat on our planet is chips.  
>  Jaehee Kang: You both should eat something healthier.
> 
> 707: Have you guys eaten anything at all? I noticed only one plate here and Vanderwood said it was hers.
> 
> Jaehee Kang: No, and I’m still not sleepy.
> 
> ZEN: Same. I’m pretty sure it’s because of what happened to us.  
>  ZEN: These aliens just keep screwing us over.
> 
> 707: That’s not very nice! 
> 
> ZEN: Why should I be nice  
>  ZEN: First the kidnapping, then whatever is happening to us  
>  ZEN: Plus they’re inhabiting one of the human bodies, saying it’s okay because they died  
>  ZEN: It’s downright disrespectful, disgusting  
>  ZEN: Not to mention, ! Yoosung !
> 
> 707: I admit it unsettles me too, but they don’t have the same values as we do  
>  707: Just so you know, I asked them to take you, to ‘kidnap’ you all
> 
> ZEN: Seriously???
> 
> 707: Yes, they warned me that something bad was going to happen to Jumin  
>  707: So if you’re upset, take it out on me
> 
> ZEN: Jesus, Seven
> 
> Jaehee Kang: I… don’t know what to think
> 
> 707: It’s obvious that I trust them  
>  707: And Yoosung-yi willingly allowed the alien in, so he trusts them too.
> 
> ZEN: Sure, if that was actually Yoosung talking :/
> 
> 707: We should keep our new friends happy – I bet they could make amazing trade partners, right Hyung?  
>  707: Jumin?
> 
> Jumin Han: I’m here, carry on.
> 
> 707: Why are you so quiet? Did something happen?
> 
> ZEN: I don’t want to talk about it.
> 
> 707: *You* don’t want to talk about it?
> 
> Jaehee Kang: Seven, drop it for now, please.
> 
> 707: Alright, I’ll just be here with my burning questions. Only because you asked nicely~~
> 
> Jaehee Kang: But wait, you ‘asked’ the aliens??  
>  Jaehee Kang: Oh, Vanderwood just told me that you’ve been chatting with the aliens for several days now.
> 
> 707: Dangit Jaehee, stop letting Vanderwood read the messenger  
>  707: But she’s right – I have been talking with them just before Jumin’s client got kidnapped  
>  707: It’s thanks to them that you guys didn’t end up dying so I’m forever indebted to them
> 
> Jumin Han: I too am grateful to them.  
>  Jumin Han: Perhaps you can tell them that, Seven.
> 
> ZEN: …  
>  ZEN: But it’s thanks to them that we’ve had the weirdest experience ever – I’ve never felt such a huge amount of emotions in such a short period of time  
>  ZEN: Constantly receiving them and just… processing them
> 
> 707: Wow, really?? Tell me more!!
> 
> Jaehee Kang: It was like we weren’t one person.  
>  Jaehee Kang: It was soothing, I admit. But I didn’t like the loss of my individuality.  
>  Jaehee Kang: And I actually feel awkward not eating.
> 
> 707: That sounds amazing!!
> 
> ZEN: Seriously…?
> 
> Yoosung★: Hello  
>  Yoosung★: I’m sorry to disturb but the others have informed me that it’s important for us to return to the ship  
>  Yoosung★: I must insist that everyone here joins me  
>  Yoosung★: I promise you will get your answers there
> 
> 707: Wow, okay, cool~!!!  
>  707: We can use my cars to travel if you lead the way
> 
> Yoosung★: Thank you Seven
> 
> 707: AAAAH so exciting, right guys!!!  
>  707: Guys??
> 
> ZEN: WTF  
>  ZEN: HE DIDN’T EVEN LOG IN – HOW??
> 
> 707: Seeing as they can read minds and do a whole bunch of other amazing things, I doubt getting into this messenger is a big deal for them.  
>  707: Oh right you guys didn’t know that :D
> 
> Jaehee Kang: ………..  
>  Jaehee Kang: I don’t want to go.
> 
> ZEN: NO ONE IS GOING
> 
> 707: He insisted on everyone  
>  707: If there’s anything I’ve learned the past days it’s that they’re genuinely trying to help  
>  707: And once there, perhaps I can join them, like you guys have – and go to outer space! 8)
> 
> Jumin Han: That prospect is indeed enticing. My experience with them was positive.  
>  Jumin Han: Maybe I’ll join you.
> 
> 707: Whoo!!
> 
> Jaehee Kang: Mr. Han, you can’t be serious!  
> 

Something in his stomach dropped and his mouth went dry when he read Jumin’s words. He clenched his phone and his finger hovered on top of the keypad, wanting to type a million things but not sure what to say.

Zen heard his name being called and got up. He didn’t pay attention to anything as he headed to the living room, head full of thoughts that threatened to tear him apart.

***

It was only because Not-Yoosung gave his personal guarantee that they would be safe that everyone reluctantly left Seven’s bunker. Even then Jumin couldn’t help scan the streets when they walked outside, but as far as he could tell, the urban landscape was void of any people. It didn’t put his mind at ease.

He tapped his fingers on his knee nervously as he sat on the backseat with Yoosung, the blond wearing one of Seven’s jackets and doing nothing else than stare at the flats and houses passing by, occasionally telling Seven where to turn. It wasn’t his first choice to be in this particular car, but Zen had adamantly refused to sit with the aliens and he didn’t want to intrude on his space.

Outside the gray sky darkened, making Jumin realize they had spent almost a whole day cooped up in Seven’s home. Yet he didn’t feel exhausted, nor hungry or thirsty – only drinking because he told himself he should.

Luciel and his new friend sat in front, the alien looking at everything with wide eyes and asking Seven a million questions. It was as if they were experiencing it all for the first time. Unlike what Seven feared, they didn’t need to be taught the basic human abilities such as eating – they told him that they were able to use the information still stored in the brain. Jumin wondered how much of the memories and thoughts that it had picked up from others carried over as well.

Seven always said that humans were like computers. Maybe he wasn’t wrong.

Thoughts associated with the alien creatures wandered into his mind, made his heart beat faster and he pushed it away before he became overwhelmed again, refusing to acknowledge them. He’s had enough of the pain. 

He scrolled through the hundreds of photos of Elizabeth, wishing they weren’t so blurry. A message popping up in the middle of the screen grabbed his attention.

\- Message from ZEN: -  
_Are you really going to go with them?_

That surprised him greatly. Zen hadn’t talked to him ever since their failed conversation in Seven’s bunker. He turned around to look at the sports car behind them but was unable to see the white-haired man, only Assistant Kang and Vanderwood.

He looked at the message glaring on his screen. He didn’t know what to respond.

Did this mean Zen was opposed to him leaving? It was obvious he distrusted these aliens the most out of everyone, but Jumin did not agree with him – so far they have only been helpful.

What exactly would he return to when this was done? A life of paranoia behind the walls of C&R? The RFA, crumbling as aliens divided them? A lonely penthouse with bodyguards to keep him company? It all felt so empty now, with only Elizabeth being his light in the darkness – and even she couldn’t shake the pain he felt all day.

A tiny voice in the back of his mind suggested Zen did not want him to go for reasons that made his heart flutter. He wished the voice would shut up. 

Not feeling anything had been heaven compared to what he was experiencing now. 

Seven’s car slowed as they neared what looked like a military camp. Army-green tents littered the landscape like mushrooms, accompanied by bulky jeeps. A large makeshift bunker stood in the middle of it, lights all on. A radio played cheery pop music but there wasn’t a single other sound. The entire camp was lifeless as if deserted. They carried along the dirt road and Jumin noticed many soldiers lying on the ground, bodies angled in an unnatural manner. The sight disturbed him to no end.

“We’ve put them to sleep for now. This was involuntary, so they will wake soon. It would be wise if we hurried.” The Alien Within Yoosung said and Jumin understood very well why Zen did not wish to be in this car.

Seven stepped on the gas and soon they neared a grass field that was entirely covered in white fog. Jumin recognized the sight from the images they showed on the news. If there was a ship inside of it, it would have to be a tiny one.

The car stopped. Seven got out quickly, brimming with excitement. His friend who had regained the energy to walk on their own stepped out a lot calmer, face as neutral as Yoosung’s.

He envied them. He left the car with a mind full of doubt and thoughts he couldn’t dispel.

The grass broke off the moment he stood on it and Jumin realized the entire field was frozen, yet the weather wasn’t cold enough for that. There was no doubt on his mind that the unnatural-looking fog had something to do with it. Slowly he walked to it, not allowing himself to turn back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter we'll finally get some bloody answers. *_*


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of talking in this chapter but finally a bit of fluff in the sea of angst. :D A long chapter because I find it hard to decide when to cut things off.
> 
> Also I wasn't aware of how much Jaehee and Vanderwood interaction I was writing until a friend pointed it out. xD

When Seven’s car stopped, she parked behind him neatly, not wanting to damage his fancy racecar. Seven told her that even though he might not need his ‘babies’ anymore, at least they should stay intact so others could enjoy them.

She didn’t know which part of that sentence bothered her more.

The cold air gave her chills and she zipped up Seven’s jacket. It clashed horribly with her black pencil skirt and stockings, but she had to make do. She matched with Seven and Yoosung – any other time she was sure she would have heard a bad boy band joke.

Behind her, she heard unfamiliar shouts coming from the camp. The volume amplified by the second and it was clear people were waking up. A soldier spotted her and ran over, aiming his rifle at them all.

“Halt! Stay where you are!”

She gasped and Yoosung ran in front of the startled soldier, spreading his arms as to block him. 

“Go on ahead!” He shouted, “Run into the fog! I will join you shortly!”

She was tempted to grab the blond’s arm, the sight of blood flashing before her, but forced herself to go. Hopefully the creature in him would protect him. It wasn’t clear if she heard a gunshot or was imagining it; either way her stomach dropped horribly.

They all ran for it, with Jumin disappearing into the mist first, closely followed by Zen who easily bypassed everyone during his sprint.

The moment she entered the fog, it felt like a blanket covered her. It was hard to breathe and she had to stop running, clenching her sleeves as she tried to regulate her air flow. She could barely make out where everyone else was, grateful that no one had chosen to wear white.

It was only then she noticed something black and large hovering in front of her. For the parts that weren’t completely obscured, the surface twitched and shifted, just like the aliens themselves. Seven had mentioned that the aliens were made of energy – logic dictated their vehicle would be too. The object was so large, they should have seen it before they entered the fog. 

She nearly fell down, physically and mentally overwhelmed by the sight alone.

“Jesus Christ what is tha- Ms. Kang, are you alright?” Vanderwood practically popped out of the mist next to her, changing his demeanor from irritation to concern the moment he saw her.

“Please, call me Jaehee and no, I don’t think I will be anytime soon.” She replied truthfully and Seven’s friend snorted, muttering something about being done with alien bullcrap. She didn’t disagree.

Everyone had stopped running, remembering Yoosung’s words about the fog. It seemed he was right, for she saw no one follow them, nor were there any distant sounds. The silence was almost peaceful, despite her inner thoughts racing all over the place.

Jaehee saw Seven waving his arms excitedly with his new friend at his side, and on her other side Zen and Jumin stood still. Unable to see their faces and hear their voices, she wasn’t sure what to do.

Vanderwood’s cut through the tension. “I can’t wait for this all to be over.” He glared at the ship, as if it wasn’t a large dangerous thing looming over them.

Jaehee wished she had his tenacity. “Agreed. I actually look forward returning to work.”

“Oh? Not a fan of your job?”

“It… pays the bills.” She wasn’t sure why they were talking like this. For some reason, casual conversation came out easily. Perhaps it was her brain’s desire to divert her attention from the fear.

“I’d like it more if Mr. Han would stop asking me to babysit his cat, or didn’t ask me to wear glasses, or keep my hair short.”

The words left her before she could think about them and regretted it instantly. Whenever she told someone about that, they always reacted shocked. ‘Absurd!’ ‘You should quit at once!’ It embarrassed her, made her less open about her job.

So when Vanderwood simply nodded, she was incredibly surprised.

“I understand. Sometimes you accept the things that you hate because the alternative is worse.”

Seven’s friend shifted her stance and Jaehee simply stared. There was so little she knew about Seven and his friend, but she always had the sneaking suspicion that the reason Seven couldn’t tell her more was because the work he did wasn’t exactly meant for public ears. Vanderwood must carry stories that he too could not share.

But what was her alternative? Could she even find one?

Before she could reply, Seven came into view, quickly followed by his alien-human companion.

“I’ve been calling you guys for ages! Turns out this fog cancels out any noise further than a meter or two. How awesome is that?!”

While Seven gushed about the fog, his friend just stared at them. The anxiety she felt earlier washed over her again. 

Why were they even here?

***

The fog hit him full force, knocking the breath out of him but he refused to stop running, chasing after the individual right in front of him. Only when something as large as a building came into his vision did he stop, falling to his knees. The grass was so cold, his body instinctively stood up again.

It was the UFO. It couldn’t be anything else. How did they not see it when they drove here? His mind screamed at him to get away. Zen tore his gaze away from it, already wishing he had insisted on everyone staying behind.

Jumin stood in front of him, closer to that _thing_ , gazing upwards. His suit on the stark white background made him look surreal, supernatural. The vivid image of Jumin glowing, just before they both disappeared, returned to his mind’s eye. The sight was so similar to that moment.

As if he’d already joined them. A beautiful nightmare.

“Jumin!” Desperately he called out, fear holding the reigns in his mind.

Jumin turned to him, stared at him, not saying a word. The fog seemed to play with his black hair, several strands standing up and waving about.

“You’re making a mistake, damn it! Don’t run away because you’re scared!”

That came out harsher than he wanted them to. Worried Jumin might take it as an insult, he quickly continued, gesturing wildly.

“Look, I’m sure by now the police have arrested that bastard that tried to kill you and you can send your best lawyers to destroy him, which he deserves. A-and I’m sure there are specialists out there that can help you, if that’s what you need.”

His words were as incoherent as his thoughts as he forced himself to keep talking, terrified that if he stopped, Jumin would be gone.

“If you go, how long do you think C&R will last without you? Or your father? His son suddenly gone, without a word?”

It was hard to talk as fast as he did, but he ignored the burning ache in his chest, the way his head started to spin.

“What about V? How do you think he’ll feel when he finds out his best friend pissed off to join some dumb ETs? And your furb- Elizabeth!? Isn’t she precious to you? Won’t you miss her?! Won’t she miss y-”

Zen gasped, lungs sucking in as much oxygen as they could, unable to say more. He clutched the front of his leather jacket, bending over slightly so that he wouldn’t pass out.

There was only silence as his breathing returned to normal. Maybe Jumin just left, he thought as he stared at the frozen grass. He didn’t want to look. He didn’t want to know.

“Why?” His deep voice shook him back to reality and Zen looked back up. He now stood merely a step away from him.

“Why are you saying these things?” Jumin asked again, fiddling with the edge of his sleeve. His eyes were so sad. Zen didn’t like it. He wanted Jumin to wax poetically about his dumb cat. Wanted to watch him grin when he made fun of Zen again. To snap at him whenever they argued. To piss him off. Just like he used to be.

Not look like the broken shell of the man he formerly was.

He wanted him to be happy. So badly that his heart ached for it. 

“Because **I** will miss you. Idiot.” There was no edge in his voice as the truth finally made its way out.

Jumin’s eyes grew large. He stopped toying with his sleeve. Zen watched his every move carefully.

“I didn’t know you cared.”

He never thought he’d be so happy hearing Jumin sass him. With the widest grin, he retorted. “Well I shouldn’t, seeing as you’re such a jerk.”

The sadness in those eyes left and a smile appeared on the Jumin’s face. For a moment, Zen couldn’t breathe.

God above, he was handsome.

There was no point in denying it anymore. For the first time concerning Jumin Han, he wasn’t confused.

Zen stepped forward, grabbing hold of Jumin’s hand, startling the executive. The look made him blush and avert his gaze. He knew full well there was no going back once he did this – and he found himself not caring.

“Let’s work this out, okay?"

Right after he said the words, Jumin threw his arms around Zen, embracing him. He froze for a second before relaxing, moving his own arms around Jumin’s waist, feeling the glossy fabric of his suit, the warmth of his back seeping through. For a brief moment it was as if they were back home, away from the fog and the aliens, away from this shitshow.

Jumin let his head rest on his shoulder, muttering indiscernible things - was he crying? When he felt the embrace being tightened, Zen nearly melted in the comfortable warmth; the sounds stopping when he rubbed small circles on his back. The large vague object in front reminded him where they stood; gently he relinquished his hold and felt the pressure on his shoulder vanish.

As dark hair brushed past his face, he was taken back by how vulnerable Jumin looked, cheeks tinted red, the rim of his eyes swollen. As if on auto-pilot, he moved forward and kissed him, lips soft and familiar on his own.

_Damn. So much for wanting to take it slow._

He felt Jumin kiss him back and Zen closed his eyes. Unlike the first time, everything felt right. There wasn’t anyone chasing them or trying to hurt them. No fear or pain. Zen’s hand travelled from Jumin’s back to his neck, his fingers brushing dark hairs. Those lips brought him close to bliss - right now, nothing else mattered.

“Hey gu-oh.”

Seven’s voice startled both of them, Zen jumping away but it was too late. Both Seven and Vanderwood looked at them surprised and Seven’s friend gave a blank look as always. Only Jaehee nodded and gave him her sagely smile. Jumin wiped his face and adjusted his tie, slipping into his serious business persona though his blush gave everything away.

“We’ve… talked it out.”

Zen felt his entire face turn red. Did he really have to say it like that??

Before he could comment, the alien-human put her hand on Seven’s shoulder, making the atmosphere change so rapidly it made him sick.

“It is almost time.”

Time? Time for what?! The same fear flashed in everyone’s eyes. That’s it. He was done. Done with these aliens, done with their cryptic nonsense and done what they were doing to everyone in the RFA.

“I don’t care what anyone says – no one is going with you!” Demonstratively he grabbed Jumin’s arm and pulled him along, walking away from the UFO and waving to the others to follow him. Something grabbed the back of his jacket and he turned to the alien-human, who was doing their best to keep him here.

“No please! You can’t leave yet!” It was the first time he had actually seen them display emotion.

Zen snapped at them. “Then tell me why! You promised us answers, now give them!”

***

The scene he came across when he ran towards Jumin and Zen explained a lot. Seven had suspected something was up between the two, even before their last chatroom talk. But as much as he wanted to muse on it, Zen’s rude interjection pissed him off. Had he not mentioned that the aliens were trustworthy? Why was he still acting like this?!

“Leave them alone! They’re doing this to help us!” He tried to get in between his alien friend and Zen. Jumin stepped away, looking as unsure as Jaehee and Vanderwood.

Zen turned to him, the anger in his eyes now directed at Seven. “For heaven’s sake, Seven, when will you wake up? We’re all standing here like fruit waiting to be picked! If not to get taken again, why else are we here? Did they tell you why they’re taking humans in the first place?!”

“No, and they don’t need to! They saved you! Without them, you’d be dead!” Seven took a few steps forward, glaring at Zen, unwilling to back down.

“Well, excuse me if I’m not on my knees worshipping them when I don’t know what they’re planning to do with us now!”

Seven balled his fists. “You’re just an ungrateful a-“

“Stop!!” Jaehee quickly forced herself between the two men, distancing them from each other. They both fell quiet but kept glaring at each other. Jumin moved forward, using his hands to direct Seven’s view towards him, giving him the serious look he often used on clients.

“Luciel, you know these beings longer than we do, thus I’m sure your trust isn’t unfounded. But surely you understand; we know barely anything and here we are standing next to a spaceship.”

Logical and to the point, Jumin was back to being the businessman he was well known for. Zen relaxed a bit and Seven found himself unable to counter his argument. He looked towards the alien-human who didn’t know who to look at or what to do with her hands.

Everyone’s phone buzzed at the same time. Seven took out his phone and quickly realized the message was for the only person who didn’t own a smartphone. He showed the screen to his alien friend.

\- Message from Yoosung★ -  
_Go ahead. It’s fine if they know now._

They nodded at him and turned to the rest of the group, taking a deep breath as they searched for the words that they all longed to hear.

“As Seven mentioned, we are creatures of pure energy. Like everything in existence, we slowly decay over time.”

Just like aging humans, Seven thought, they must lose energy whenever they travelled or communicated. He couldn’t imagine what it was like to see parts of his body disappear if he did something as simple as walking or talking.

They continued. “The only way to replenish ourselves is by absorbing other life forms. The more intelligent, the more energy they generate, the longer we last. It is how we live, how we survive.”

“We… are your food? Or batteries?” Jaehee asked, voice quivering.

“I… suppose if you must make a comparison, yes. But please, you must understand we only take those that want to be taken. You were an exception to the rule. As your energy combines with ours, so do our minds – and a mind forcibly taken will disrupt, cause us to fall apart.”

Like food poisoning. Seven couldn’t help but find the food similarities amusing, even as everyone else wore looks of horror.

“So I can assure you. The others will not take you. If we had to do it again, we would suffer more. Even now, your return has lasting consequences that need to be taken care of.“

“The fact that we never eat or sleep.” Zen aptly guessed.

“Correct. By expending almost all my energy and Seven’s, we were able to bring you back whole; but it resulted in your bodies keeping the energy you had when you were one of us – as a result, you never need to fulfill the basic human necessities.”

“That actually sounds quite nice.” Jumin said. Seven could only agree. Never having to sleep meant so much more time for doing whatever they wanted to do. The alien quickly shook their head.

“Your bodies would still deteriorate – you just won’t notice it - and most likely you’ll end up perishing in a matter of weeks, maybe even days from dehydration.”

Oh. Damn. So much for asking to remain superhuman.

“Soon we will take back that excess energy, your close proximity to our spaceship allows us to do so easily. You will all return to normal.”

A loud booming noise resonated from the spaceship behind them, making them all turn their heads. The vibrating outer layer lit up and colors swirled around in it, light colored sparks on top of several shades of blue. Beautiful, Seven thought – just like outer space.

“As I said, it is almost time. They’ll be leaving soon.”

Seven gazed at the spaceship. He had suspected they were taking off. Beings like them would never settle, forced to wander like nomads as every intelligent civilization feared them after their visit. “I can still join, right?”

“If that’s what you want, of course.”

“You’re still going?” Jumin asked incredulous.

Jaehee followed his example. “Seven… Are you sure that is what you really want?” 

He didn’t look at them. “Nothing more.” No more sadness. No more emptiness or loneliness. Just him and his new space friends. Floating around the stars, the planets, the asteroid fields and maybe even discovering new lifeforms. It sounded like a dream come true.

“I hope you will like it, Seven.” His alien friend moved next to him and smiled. It was such a tiny smile and Seven briefly wondered if they were upset. Maybe they were scared he didn’t really want to leave. He gave them the biggest grin to reassure them.

“Oh, I’m sure I will! I bet you guys have come across the most mind-boggling things!”

His alien friend blinked at him, squinting her eyes in thought. “Perhaps – I only remember vague feelings. Thoughts don’t really stick to us, it is only in this form that I suddenly have vivid memories. They are quite amazing.”

Right, right, they were made of energy. They had no need for things like memories. In the back of his mind he felt a strange sort of sadness, knowing that he might forget the RFA… and his brother. But he wouldn’t mind once he became an alien, and surely the others wouldn’t miss him much.

He grabbed their hand, holding it between his own. Normally he’d think twice about this kind of closeness but human shame could piss off now. “Well, it’s not like that matters! I can’t wait to explore the galaxies with you!”

For the first time since he met them, their face showed pure negative emotions. Wide eyes filled with panic. Confusion. Concern. Seven’s grin faltered. He felt them clench and unclench their hand, not knowing how to deal with the new feelings.

“Seven, I won’t be joining you. I will never rejoin the others, not anymore.”

“Wha- what do you mean?” They weren’t making sense – their friends could simply absorb her form like they had before, like they had with the RFA and everyone else. Surely the others would want them back as well?

Their hand fell from his. They shook their head, short hair becoming frazzled in the thick fog. “I wanted to tell you earlier, but… This is my final form. I will live as a human for as long as this body can last. Through me, the others can observe this world. If they ever return, they will be able to use the information gathered to properly establish communication with your kind.”

They bit their lip, giving off a troubled look. Already they acted more human, adjusting in a rapid pace. 

If they return… Not when. And with good reason. All the theories on distances between inhabitable planets confirmed that it would take many, many decades for a ship to travel between them, even with the technology these aliens might possess. They would definitely die before they would see the others again. 

All because he selfishly asked them to help. 

“So you’re being punished?”

He was met with shock. “This isn’t punishment, Seven. I was completely willing to give all my energy to save your friends. The others have been kind enough to expend a bit more so that I can become human for this purpose… And be with you, just a little longer.”

There was that fondness again, the same he felt when they were merely numbers on his screen, to when they were reduced to a tiny energy ball, to that moment when he gave them Honey Buddha Chips.

“But… why? I haven’t earned your kindness. What exactly have I done that you, or anyone, would want to be with me?“ He just couldn’t understand. He didn’t deserve happiness. The best he could have, was to float around emotionless in space.

Zen let out a loud snort, causing Seven to turn around. The four of them stood around him, shaking their heads. “You’re kidding right? You did help save us, and I admit I was too angry to thank you properly but…” He put his hand behind his head sheepishly. “I am grateful. If you had been afraid of the aliens as the rest of us, we would have been dead.”

“You know, the RFA has only blossomed since you entered. V has nothing but admiration for you.” Jumin said earnestly.

Jaehee gently placed her hand on Seven’s shoulder. “Perhaps we have not reached out to you as well as we should have, but we enjoy your company. Even if your jokes are sometimes overwhelming, you liven up the chat.”

The corners of his eyes welled up. His phone buzzed again.

\- Message from Yoosung★ -  
_You’re an amazing friend Seven, and I would miss you a lot if you go. I didn’t know you felt so sad but now that I do, I’m going to do my best to help you._

Tears fell on his screen. He didn’t know they felt this way. His alien friend panicked, dismayed at his reaction.

“Why are you sad? Did we say something wrong?!”

Seven smiled through the tears and hugged them, laughing when they looked even more confused. God, he hadn’t cried this much in a short time ever since Saeran left, but these were the kind of tears he loved. The loneliness and sadness in the back of his head were still present but knowing that everyone in the RFA cared for him helped so much. For the first time, he saw them as actual friends.

One day he’d go to space. But as a human with the ability to remember and feel, and with no regrets.

“Well, I’d be a monster if I left now, huh?” He sighed as he let go of them and everyone looked visibly relieved, Zen chuckling and Jumin letting out a deep breath.

Vanderwood sighed. “Everyone in the RFA is an idiot. Err, no offense.”

“None taken.” Jaehee shrugged.

***

He never knew Seven had a twin brother. It was one of the many secrets Yoosung had to come to learn in a short amount of time, unable to shut down the ability to read minds thanks to his guest. Even now he could feel their happiness and anxiety, feeling like an intruder, a peeping tom. It wasn’t right… But he knew what he was getting into when he allowed the alien in. He put his phone back in his pocket.

_Maybe we should tell them?_

He had almost gotten used to the echoing voice in his head. Almost.

The soldier in front of him trembled so much his rifle almost fell from his hands. He reached out and gently touched their hand, feeling their desire to leave. His chest felt warm once again, the being within him amplifying the soldier’s thoughts, who dropped his weapon and ran away.

“No. They gain nothing from knowing.” Yoosung replied. He wanted to tell them, desperately so. But what for? It wasn’t as if it mattered.

_If only to make you feel at rest now._

His body moved involuntarily, jumping out of the way and spun around as he heard a gunshot. The bullet flew past him into the trees. He had to admit – that was super cool.

_This seems to bring you joy. It is strange to think you were upset when we met._

“Of course I was upset. You’ve scared the crap out of my friends and put them through hell.”

_And for that, we are deeply sorry._

“I know you are. You would not have offered to join with me.” He didn’t regret his decision. It was important that the aliens and the RFA could all leave safely.

_We’re afraid that even when the others take the extra energy from your friends, there might be some lingering effects._

Yoosung nodded at nothing in particular. They would have to deal with those effects if they ever appeared. Hopefully it wasn’t anything too bizarre.

Another soldier quickly fell asleep and Yoosung dragged him to an empty tent, knowing that as long as they lay in an uncomfortable state they’d wake up sooner. The constant shouting reminded him he still had his work cut out for him.

A whole onslaught of thoughts reached his mind, serious words mixed with confusion and fear. In the distance several jeeps drove into camp. One of them came very close to the fog, carrying something large and cylindrical, with oddly shaped antennas on the side and wires sticking out everywhere. His chest recoiled in pain and he was forced to move away. Oh, that wasn’t good.

_We had hoped it would have taken them longer to figure out our dependency on energy and electricity. With that machine, we won’t be able to get near them._

“What do we do?”

_Get back to the ship. We must talk with the others._

Wasting no time, he ran into the fog, his friends’ thoughts acting like a compass. Unlike the others, he had no trouble breathing. His skin tingled and he felt oddly at home. Yoosung tried not to slip on the icy grass as the colorful UFO and his friends came into view.

“Yoosung!” Seven called out and everyone turned to him. Before he could warn them, constantly changing voices ran through his mind.

_They have brought in the weapons we feared for. How fares your progress?_

_The machine has blocked passage for many others. They cannot reach us. We cannot leave without them._

_We can feel ourselves slowly dissolving._

Yoosung blinked and rubbed his face. He wished there was another way for them to communicate – it was painful to process multiple voices. His stomach was in agony. This was very bad.

“Are you alright?” Jaehee wanted to reach out but hesitated, the entire RFA still apprehensive of him. If only he could lie to them and tell them the alien was gone, so they could feel comfortable around him again.

“No, no I’m not. Listen, the army has brought in some kind of weapon that disrupts energy. I.. I need your help in disabling it.”

Seven raised his eyebrows. “So, something like an electromagnetic pulse generator?”

“Usually those aren’t strong enough to take down even a mobile phone. I’m not surprised the army has something better hiding in their storage though.” Vanderwood commented, his mind brimming with memories of all his experiences with the military. It was hard for Yoosung to pull away.

“It’s killing the aliens.” Jumin correctly concluded.

“Yes, though they aren’t aware of it.”

“Then we must definitely help! We owe them that much!” Seven clapped his hands together, his trained mind already searching for ways to take down the unknown device.

“But… it’s the army! What can we possibly do against them?” Unsurprisingly, Zen tried to be the voice of reason. The actor had no clue he had two secret agents with him. The four of them launched into a heavy debate, arguing what plan of action to take. He must look as terrible as he felt, as Jaehee did not join them, looking worried.

“Yoosung, let the alien inside of you leave. There’s no need for it to make you suffer alongside it.”

He could feel fire travel from his chest to his face as he tried to focus on her. This was worse than any fever he’d ever had. “It can’t, Jaehee.”

She stiffened. “Why not?”

Realizing his error, Yoosung clenched his fists. He had meant to say something else but the pain interfered with his thinking. Jaehee repeated her question, more concerned than ever.

_It’s alright if they know. You know it doesn’t matter._

He took a deep breath, lungs burning from the effort. “The alien is fused with me. Permanently.”

Everyone looked at him startled, their discussion falling silent. The questions in their mind grew louder and more varied with every second he didn’t reply. The most dire one being why. Why were they permanently fused? Why had he allowed it?

There was no hiding it now. The blond braced himself.

“I died. Technically, I’m dead. Right now. Undead.” He cringed at his words. The sentence he had carefully prepared in his head fell in shambles once he said it.

Their eyes widened. Yoosung wanted to look away but forced himself to see their reactions as he continued.

“These aliens, they can't possess someone with a will of their own. Just before we got taken, on the street, I felt everything just… fade away. I’m sorry, I didn’t know how to tell you.”

His words has immediate effect and it was worse than he could ever have imagined. Jaehee’s hands trembled as they covered her mouth. Jumin was frozen, brain racing a million miles a minute, none of them coherent. Seven’s eyes were tearing up rapidly, the truth too hard for him to handle. Vanderwood looked shocked, not knowing what to do or say.

How he wished he couldn’t read their minds. This was harder to endure than the physical pain. Only the newly formed human’s mind was relatively quiet, their look understanding.

“So… you’re not Yoosung.” Zen pretended to be calm but inside of him Yoosung felt overwhelming panic and anger. If he had known this earlier, the actor would definitely have flipped his lid, maybe even hurt him. He was glad that he was trying his best to find reason now.

Yoosung shook his head. “I’m still me. I’m still the Yoosung that wants to play LOLOL all day, has no idea what to do after I’m done with Sky University and hates it that Seven has all the Honey Buddha Chips in the world.”

It wasn’t a complete lie. He honestly didn’t know if his soul had returned to his body or if he and the alien were the same. When he woke up in a strange room, there was another voice in his head, reminding him who he was. The only thing stopping him from having an identity crisis was the alien telling him what was going to happen.

Right now, things were fine. When all this was over and they were safe, he wouldn’t need to worry anymore.

The panic, confusion, anger and sadness from his friends mellowed, replaced by a determination that made him happy, even as the painful sensations travelled through his limbs.

“Then we’re definitely disabling that thing. You’re not dying on us again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *insert Mission Impossible music*


	7. Chapter 7

This was madness, absolute madness. The army had every reason to take them out and the RFA was completely unarmed. But Seven had assured him this plan would work, as long as everyone did their part. He was so confident about it, Zen suspected that this wasn’t the first time he’d ever done this. If they got out of this alive, he’d interrogate that redhead to hell and back.

Zen stood at the edge of the fog, trying to get his nerves under control. The jeeps Yoosung mentioned were parked pretty close to them, their headlights illuminating part of the camp in the dark night. Most of them were trying to wake their companions or move crates around. A few soldiers stood watch, staring at the fog nervously and one of them tinkered on the strange machine that they had to take out. They couldn’t see him… yet.

A warm hand gently touched his shoulder. He glanced over to see Jumin gazing at the same scene, his hand clenching a bit when one soldier turned around and his rifle was displayed in full view.

Zen sighed. “You don’t have to join us.”

“I want to. You’re always telling me that I’m a robot, I should be able to pull this off better than you.”

Only Jumin could turn an insult into a compliment, using his wit to mask his worries. Zen chuckled as his stomach did somersaults.

Seven and Vanderwood said they’d sabotage the machine; all they needed was a distraction. And what better distraction than aliens in human form, trying to make peaceful contact? He wanted an alternative, something safer, but had no better ideas.

Seeing as he was the one with the most acting experience, it was only natural that he would be one of them, Seven’s friend joining for obvious reasons and Jumin to fill up their peace committee. Jaehee was on standby, ready to interfere with either her wits or her brawn if she had to – why did no one tell him she had a black belt in Judo? Yoosung kept himself to the ship as he couldn’t get near. Zen hoped with all his heart that they could pull this off. He couldn’t possibly hope for a third chance at life for the young blond.

Jumin’s hand travelled down his arm and grasped his own hand tightly. Only then did Zen feel that he was trembling.

“Zen. If anything happens, to you or the others, I…” The executive glared at the unsuspecting soldiers, and it was a good things looks couldn’t kill. Though it might have made this easier.

Zen squeezed him back, resisting the urge to kiss the slightly taller man again. He had to be confident, this wasn’t a moment for goodbyes. They would make it. They had to.

“It’s going to be fine. The aliens are going to leave, we’re all going to get out of here alive and we can go back to fighting about your stupid cat.”

His nose tingled and there was that urge to sneeze. It felt oddly nostalgic.

“It’s Elizabeth the 3rd.” Jumin quickly retorted and a smile appeared on that serious face. Good. He needed to smile more often.

The alien-human came running to them and they let go of each other. Zen felt like the title didn’t make sense anymore – they weren’t alien anymore, fully human and unaffected by the machine. They nodded at them, letting them know everyone was ready.

Deep breath. Time to give his best performance.

Zen walked out of the fog, doing his best to keep a neutral look. The cold air took him by surprise, wind travelling through his clothes and giving his skin goosebumps. Some of the soldiers noticed him and yelled out, alerting the entire camp. He saw people jumping away from the jeep in question to run to them. Just like Seven said they would.

A flashlight beamed right in his face and he fought the urge to put up his hand to block the glaring light, unable to see a thing.

“Halt!”

The three of them did just as commanded. Jumin’s arm visibly trembled and the executive took hold of his sleeve to stop himself. Even Seven’s friend had a hard time keeping steady, their fingers twitching next to their side. Zen willed himself not to move a muscle as bright spots danced in his vision.

“Lower your rifles.” A tall man approached them, gently pushing a young soldier aside. A colorful insignia decorated his suit – Zen guessed he was a sergeant.

“From the looks of your clothes, you three obviously don’t belong together. Am I right to assume you’ve come from the ship?”

Who would have known his motorcycle outfit and Jumin’s stuffy business suit could possibly save the day?

Don’t smile. Ignore the cold. Don’t move. “You have talked to us before?” He asked, as emotionless as he possibly could. The sergeant frowned.

Wait. Zen knew very well the aliens chatted telepathically with each other, so why would they even ask that question. Crap, he screwed up. Crap crap crap-

The sergeant shook his head. “The captain has, just before he deserted – I don’t know what you did to him but you won’t get the same chance with me. Why are you here?”

Oh thank God, he didn’t know. Zen let out a sigh of relief in his head but felt his anxiety build.

Relax. Straight face, straight face. “Peace, sergeant. There is no need for us to fear each other.”

The sergeant scowled as he crossed his arms, firing off a barrage of questions. “Really now? Why did it take you so long? What are you doing on our world? Why are you kidnapping people?” 

Zen’s anxiety hit its peak and he found himself unable to say a thing. Thankfully Seven’s friend noticed and picked up the conversation, slowly going into details they already knew.

In the distance Zen thought he saw something moving but with the darkness, the harsh lights all turned towards them and the small group of soldiers obscuring his view, he wasn’t sure if it was Seven. He didn’t want to stare too long, worried that the sergeant would notice but this was starting to drive him mad.

Come on Seven, hurry!

***

Zen was doing a good job keeping them busy, all eyes on the trio. With the night as their ally, they managed to sneak to the jeep carrying the strange device. Vanderwood carefully opened the steel door and grabbed the lonely driver, muffling his shouts with her hands, his struggles in vain against the stronger agent. The jeep vibrated under Seven’s feet as he climbed in and crawled through the chairs towards the machine, keeping himself low in the open vehicle.

The device was smooth, a long white multi-cylindered tube with varying thicknesses in perfect symmetry. There were wires spread like a web connected to every part of the jeep, suspending it in the air. He had never encountered something this intricate. Feeling around, he couldn’t detect any screws or bolts, the entire thing welded together.

Footsteps caught his attention and he turned to stare directly at a patrolling soldier over the edge of the jeep. Before any of them could panic, a dark figure wacked the soldier right in the head and he fell down, deftly caught before he hit the ground.

“Nice one.”

Jaehee whispered her thanks to Vanderwood. If she ever got fired from C&R, maybe he would recommend her to the agency. No, a nicer agency that doesn’t take advantage of people.

Brushing away the silly thought, he tried to find any way to open the machine but a few minutes of poking and prying gave him nothing. This was frustrating. Where was it getting its power from?

The wires. Of course! He nearly fell climbing back to the front again and saw three wires disappearing into a steel panel, no doubt leading to a battery of some kind. Seven grabbed the pocket knife from the inside of his jacket and flipped out the blade, choosing the thickest wire which he assumed had to be the right one. The coating was plastic, thus destroyable - lady luck was smiling upon them. In one swift motion, he cut through it, his hand straining from the effort.

“AAGH!” Something sharp shot right into his hand and Seven screamed in reflex. The knife fell from his hands and bounced under the chair as all his brain registered was fire.

“What’s going on over there?!”

“Seven!!” Vanderwood hissed in alarm and Seven heard soldiers run to their position. Damn it! He had gotten himself shocked like a rookie!

Trying to bite through the throbbing pain, he stumbled out of the jeep, Vanderwood and Jaehee catching him. But before the three of them could take even a single step, soldiers surrounded them and any escape route they had vanished at the sight of armed men. 

The camp was now fully aware of all of them. Oh God, he had ruined everything.

No one said a word. The end of a rifle poked into Seven’s back harshly and pushed him towards Zen and the others, horror written on their faces.

“What the hell is this?! What kind of stunt are you trying to pull?!” The sergeant yelled at Zen who didn’t know what to say, his calm façade completely gone. 

As they’re forced to stand together, Seven’s mind raced. Was the machine off? He hadn’t heard any noticeable change. Did he cut the wrong wire? Maybe the wires did absolutely nothing. No no no he had promised this would work!

“I say shoot them all.” One of the soldiers near them spoke up and a few near him murmured in agreement.

Jaehee gasped as Jumin rushed forward in anger to protest, causing some soldiers to point their rifles at him and Zen quickly grabbed his arm, keeping him in place with a panicked glance. Seven clutched the cross hanging from his neck, the pain in his hand overruled by his fear. This was going all wrong.

More than angry, the sergeant turned to his underling. “That is not your decision to make, private!”

“With all due respect, _sir_ , unless they return all the people they’ve taken, I don’t believe their intentions are peaceful at all.” 

The murmurs grew louder and Seven feared it wouldn’t long before the sergeant lost control of the group and the mutinous soldiers wouldn’t hesitate to take them out. He tried to formulate another plan but he couldn’t think of anything.

He prayed for a miracle. Anything. Anything at all-

“We misunderstood at first.”

The alien-human’s clear voice rang through like a bell, grabbing everyone’s attention. They didn’t seem affected with all the rifles pointing at them. Maybe they didn’t know what weapons could do or perhaps, they didn’t fear death.

“We weren’t aware of the complexity of human thought and emotion. Because of that, we’ve made… mistakes. We took people that wanted to leave but with a different destination in mind. We took people because others asked us to, unaware of wrong intentions.

Please know that anyone who did not want to join us has been returned and those that are still with us are content. It is the best we can do for now. We genuinely regret things have gone this way.”

The army fell quiet, contemplating their words. Seven stared at them mesmerized along with the entire RFA. The road to hell was paved with good intentions – even with all their combined minds and wisdom, they failed. Perhaps that’s why they were leaving, feeling they’ve done more than enough damage to this world.

The rebellious soldier aimed his gun at them, nervous and angry at the same time. The sergeant didn’t even interfere, all command completely lost.

“That sounds all very nice and convenient. Do you really think an apology is going to make it all better? Absolve you of your guilt?”

They shook their head. “No. All that we want, is to make amends. To start over.”

“Start over? As if we-”

Loud rumbling cut off his reply and a powerful gust of wind hit them, nearly toppling them all as the fog rapidly moved away and to the center of the field. The spaceship came into view and he could see Yoosung running towards them. The vibrant colors turned bright white and even as the fog piled on the spaceship like a thick cloud, Seven could make out a large luminescent orb.

Like watching a star being born.

Movement in the air made him turn his gaze away. They were surrounded by aliens, static-filled jellyfish fading in and out of visibility as they floated towards the ship. He felt one of them brush his hair, hearing a small and pleasant hum.

The soldiers started panicking and running away, ignoring the rest of them. They weren’t heading in any straight direction, nor were their words coherent – the alien’s final diversion tactic. Their sergeant was long gone by the time Seven looked for him.

Just as he wanted to comment on the magnificence of it all, Jumin fell over forwards, Vanderwood catching him before he hit the ground. Jaehee dropped down to her knees, one hand on the grass to keep herself up. Zen tried to help them but was forced to stop as his body nearly collapsed and Seven could tell he was using all his strength to stay upright.

“W-what’s happening?” Zen could barely say the words, his eyes constantly closing despite his effort to keep them open.

The jellyfish disappeared as suddenly as they came. They must have removed the RFA’s excess energy as promised. The four of them hadn’t slept for more than 24 hours - It was a feat on its own they hadn’t just passed out then and there.

Despite the running and screaming soldiers, Yoosung, looking as healthy as ever, easily made his way to them and Seven grinned at him. They had succeeded and unlike some of his former missions, he felt amazing. For once, the danger had been worth it.

Yousung wanted to say something but stopped, looking startled as if he remembered something. He turned his gaze at the sky. 

“It’s time, isn’t it? Go ahead.”

Huh? Who was he talking to? 

His alien-human friend nodded at Yoosung, smiling. Completely confused, Seven rapidly turned his head between both of them.

“What-“

All sounds stopped. Yet he couldn’t describe it as silence – a strange feeling vibrated through his body, as if sound has taken a solid form and travelled through matter instead, absorbing all possible noise and making them negative. 

A colorful pattern lit up the night, spreading from its placement over the ship all the way across the sky. It swayed gently and everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at it. 

Aurora Borealis in Korea. Those were Seven’s last thoughts as he watched everyone fall. He felt nothing.

Within seconds his body seemed lighter than air, mind blanking out as he too fell on the grass, lights appearing in front of his eyes. They consumed his entire vision before all turned dark.

***

The human sky was beautiful. The moon and the stars shone through their colors, showing promises of mystery and wonder. It was no wonder humans stared at it all the time. They would be sure to mention this to Seven someday.

Everyone except them had fallen asleep. The RFA and the army were spread out over the grass, lying in the most uncomfortable positions. Not a single sound could be heard, animal, human or otherwise. The world was silent.

Their home – no, the spaceship slowly floated up, looking like the Earth’s rising sun. The colors in the sky faded away as it passed through them, the atmosphere’s friction slowly burning up the fog around it. They gazed at it longingly as it moved further and further away, soon indiscernible from all the other stars in the sky.

They put up their hand in the air, feeling the cold wind brush against their fingers as they tried to reach out. But there were no more voices.

“Goodbye.” They whispered.

Something wet ran down their face and they gently touched it with their fingers. Their head pulsed, their heart felt heavy. There was no one to share the feeling with, it continued to linger no matter how much they tried to push it away.

So this was what it was like to truly be human.

One by one, members of the army lit up and faded away, together with the jeeps and tents. Soon all that was left on the landscape was their small group.

_Once we’ve returned to whence we came, all energy will truly be expended._

Their companion inside Yoosung echoed in their head. They nodded, feeling tears slowly dry up on their face.

“Let’s bring them to Seven’s home. His friends might want to stay with him longer. I assume you’ve already moved the cars?”

_Yes, though not all objects were recoverable, but we can count on human confusion to help us. Are you still going to tell Seven who you are?_

“I don’t know. I know it’s not a good idea but I will not be able to explain my presence otherwise. And I don’t think I can make it on my own unlike you.” 

Telling Seven the truth would be difficult. It could possibly hurt him, which is the last thing they wanted – but the idea of leaving him brought about such terrifying emotions that they couldn’t handle it. 

It was selfish. To want to stay, to take up a human form, to ask him for help. They felt terrible. Humans had a word for the feeling – guilt.

_You wanted this._

“I know. I will stick to the path I’ve chosen. And you…” They trailed off. Somehow, it had become too hard to say the words.

_Yes. This is the last time we'll speak. I will silently observe as Yoosung lives his life normally, the way he would have. I could not have chosen a better final harbor – when the others return, they’ll be able to understand and hopefully befriend them well. We can only be proud that we are helping them with that future goal._

“Then we both have no regrets. Farewell, my friend.”

Their bodies illuminated simultaneously and they knew this would be the last time they would ever see this glow. As they faded away, they wondered what Seven was going to say when he woke up.

***

This isn’t my room, Jumin thought when he opened his eyes and all he saw was a gray concrete ceiling. Pillows underneath him shifted as he stretched his back. His stomach ached and his shoulders were sore. Soft snoring emanated through the room and he turned his head to see Zen lying next to him, face on his shoulder. His white hair was all over the place.

His breath hitched. What in the world?

His sudden movement made Zen’s eyes flutter open. The moment those red irises connected with his own, they widened and the actor flailed about, causing him to fall of the couch.

“Gah!!” Zen landed on the hard floor with a thud, wincing painfully. His face was flushed red and Jumin wasn’t doing any better, feeling warmth radiate from his cheeks.

In several corners of the room, several people stirred from their sleeping bags. Yoosung, Assistant Kang and a person he knew was named Vanderwood (When did they meet?) woke up, everyone looking scruffy and worn out. Jumin sat up and his blanket fell down on the ground.

“Why are you guys making so much noise?” Yoosung asked, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He paused mid-yawn and looked around. “Wait, where are we?”

The room fell quiet as the five of them looked at each other in confusion. A door opened and they were greeted with a brightly beaming redhead. His grin made Jumin wonder if this was one of his elaborate pranks.

“Good morning everyone~! What a crazy party we had last night, huh?”

“Party?” Jaehee blinked at him, trying to adjust the glasses that were no longer on her face.

“Yeah, don’t you remember? No surprise considering how much you all drank. But we had so much fun! I took the liberty of cleaning up all the beer cans and wine bottles after you all passed out seeing as I’m a gracious host.” Luciel strolled over to the small table in the room and sat down, opening the bag of chips he held in his hand.

Luciel’s words sounded foreign to him. As much as he liked wine, he rarely consumed a lot seeing as he had to work the next day. But his mind was drowsy and if it weren’t for the fact that his body craved food, he might have gone right back to sleep. His suit was all wrinkled and he was sure he stank, his skin feeling clammy to the touch. He hadn’t even removed his shoes before falling asleep. 

Was this what a hangover was like?

Seven sighed dramatically when no one replied. “Don’t worry, I’ll help you all out. Yesterday Jumin and Jaehee had a meeting in C&R with some random client, don’t know who, don’t care. Zen, you got pissed and said Jumin made her work too much.”

“Yeah, that sounds familiar.” Zen said, slowly getting up from the floor.

Jumin furrowed his brows. They regularly had meetings but none of them in particular popped out as unusual. He did recall Zen’s angry tone but couldn’t place his exact wording. The both of them fighting was nothing new, yet a strange sort of sadness formed in his chest when he tried to remember.

“And Yoosung was crying about his uni again soooo I decided you all needed a break and asked you to come here, to my home for some rest and relaxation! You all went to C&R first so you could travel together to my bunker. I got out some booze, some party games and well, the rest is hard for me to remember as well but we had a great time. A true RFA bonding experience~! No thanks needed!”

“And why am _I_ here…?” Vanderwood stood up, scanning the room.

“You happened to pass by and stayed.” Seven shrugged, helping himself to a handful of chips. Vanderwood frowned and commented angrily on him making a mess again.

Seven’s words conjured up blurry memories. He did recall being in C&R and seeing Zen. He also recalled all of them arguing with each other exactly where they were, on this couch. But the rest was terribly vague and the more he tried to pick out details, the more his head violently resisted. Jumin rubbed his temples, hoping he wasn’t getting a headache.

He looked at Zen who stood next to him, fixing his ponytail. When Zen noticed his gaze, the memory of them kissing came to mind. So much of it was blurry but he definitely recognized Zen’s look and touch. His heartbeat quickened and he felt his blush deepen; by the looks of it Zen seemed to remember the same exact thing as he looked alarmed and turned his head away too quickly.

“And yes, you guys totally made out.” Seven pointed at them and smirked, a bit too smug.

“I remember that.” Assistant Kang said surprised, halting the folding of her bedroll.

“Ooooh, me too!” Yoosung said with a wicked grin. Vanderwood crossed his arms and nodded.

“W-wh- you mean, you all saw it??” Zen stammered, pale as a ghost. 

Everyone was staring at them with eyebrows raised. Jumin wanted the ground to swallow him whole. He hadn’t felt this way since he fumbled a speech in the presence of his father’s friends.

His stomach rumbled violently, providing a welcome distraction to the embarrassing atmosphere. 

“I second Jumin’s belly, I’m starving. I feel like I haven’t eaten in days.” Yoosung complained, cradling his stomach while hunching over in his bedroll.

With his mouth full, Luciel motioned to the hallway. “There’s stuff in the fridge; if you don’t want chips, we can make sandwiches.”

“I’ll go make them-“

“No. I’ll do it.” He interrupted Assistant Kang, shocking her. Jumin got up before she could say anything else.

It wasn’t like him to take work out of Assistant Kang’s hands. But the longer everyone stared at him, the more embarrassed he felt. And he didn’t like the feeling at all. Behind him he heard the younger members of the RFA taunting Zen.

“Jumin and Zen sitting in a tree, K-I-“

“ARGH SHUT UP!!”

Walking from the living room into the dull, plastic kitchen was familiar. Lots of things seemed to confirm Seven’s story, except for the fact that none of them smelled like alcohol. He wasn’t sure what to believe.

The fridge was packed with a ridiculous amount of Dr. Pepper, with only one shelf holding a whole loaf of bread and several packages of sliced meat. Not exactly a nutritious breakfast but he couldn’t afford to be picky right now. As he placed the items on the counter, he hoped that at least it would taste a little better than it looked.

Footsteps alerted him of someone approaching and he turned towards a flustered Zen, who tried to put up the most nonchalant face when he noticed Jumin looking at him. Jumin knew he had seen him act better than that.

“Seven and Yoosung keep making stupid jokes, it’s driving me nuts. Plus I’m hungry and I don’t expect you to know how to make sandwiches.” The insult sounded forced but Jumin didn’t retort. Zen reached for the cupboard and grabbed a few plates, spreading them around the counter. How did he know where to find them?

The two of them made the sandwiches in awkward silence. Jumin couldn’t stop glancing at the white-haired man. He wasn’t as subtle as he hoped to be, as Zen blushed fiercely.

“Can you stop looking at me like that?”

“Sorry.” Jumin mumbled, trying to keep his eyes on the kitchen counter.

A few more seconds of tension-filled sandwich making passed before Zen stopped and covered his face with his hands.

“I can’t believe we did that. In front of everyone too.” 

Bit by bit, Jumin recollected more of what had possibly transpired yesterday. Their kiss - with a fear attached to it he couldn’t identify. A terrible fight… and feelings so horrible it twisted his gut, even though he didn’t know why. The pain left when he remembered Zen had reached out to him again; he had never felt more at peace with anything in his entire life in that one moment.

Strange, how much they had gone through in just one evening.

“I’d like to work it out with you. I really do.” It felt like the right thing to say, even though he wasn’t sure where the words came from. 

Zen stopped moving the bread around and stared at him with large eyes, making him feel self-conscious.

“I…” Zen blinked and slowly moved his gaze back to the half-filled plates. “I can’t believe I’m saying this but… I guess I do too.” His ears turned as red as his face.

Zen always said he was handsome; Jumin couldn’t deny it. His heart skipped a beat and it felt good – like he was a child again.

“You know, this feels like we’re camping.” Zen said, stacking the pieces of bread on top of the plastic plates.

“I’ve never done that.”

“I’m not surprised. I doubt you'd like it, with your silver spoon and so forth. Gritty outdoors, bugs and rain… nothing like your soft penthouse.”

“I’m capable of more than you think. I might surprise you if you show me.”

“… Maybe I will.”

Zen’s smile was small but radiant. He found himself copying the actor.

“If you guys don’t bring us food soon, I’m going to die!!” Yoosung’s anguished yells ruined their moment. Zen rolled his eyes, grabbing both plates and carrying them to the living room.

When they returned, Yoosung eagerly grabbed a sandwich and shoved it in his mouth before Zen placed the snacks on the table. Assistant Kang was trying to find her jacket, looking under every sleeping bag, disbelieving Seven’s comment that she ruined it in a drunk fit. Vanderwood sat with her arms crossed next to Seven and Zen chose to stand while eating, both clearly uncomfortable in this strange situation.

Jumin sat down across the two and took a bite of the dry and unhealthy sandwich, finding Seven’s story more and more unlikely. Since when did the redhead ever ask them over for parties? Surely this had to be a prank, though how did he manage to make them all forget so much? He racked his mind for explanations but found none.

The sandwiches disappeared in a frightening pace, devoured by everyone as if they had never eaten anything in their life. Just as Yoosung tried to grab the last one, Seven slapped his hand away.

“Ow! Hey!”

“You already had four, you glutton! This one is for me because I gotta get back to work soon. In fact that soon is right now!” He jumped up from his chair and stretched his arms, looking like a cat. Jumin realized he hadn’t thought about Elizabeth all morning. A mistake that should be remedied by showering her with affection later.

“Work? On a Sunday?” Zen asked.

“Yep yep! God Seven’s work is always present and demanding! Right Mary?”

Vanderwood looked at him quizzically. “Err… Yes? You’ve never been this enthusiastic about it.”

Jaehee looked at Luciel in earnest. “Seven, if you want to leave because you need some time for yourself, you can say so. We don’t mind.”

Seven’s cheeky grin fell away and he stared at her, taken back by the sincerity. Yoosung and Zen nodded in understanding and for the first time ever since Seven joined the RFA, he looked a little flustered.

“Thanks guys. I promise you that this time there really is something I need to get to, but whenever I feel that way I’ll be honest about it.”

Jumin smiled. This was good for Luciel, he needed to stop hiding who he truly was.

“Nice! Then let’s have another party soon so Zen and Jumin can make themselves look like fools again.” Yoosung chuckled.

“Aaaand I’m leaving.” Zen stomped off to the hallway. Jumin had a weird sense of déjà vu.

“I suggest we all leave so Luciel can focus. Assistant Kang, can you please call Driver Kim?” He couldn’t wait to get home, feeling like their ‘party’ had gone on way too long. He didn’t care for explanations anymore.

Assistant Kang gave up the search for her jacket and diligently took out her phone to make the call. Vanderwood thanked them all and told them he’d leave later on her own. Jumin got up and headed towards the hallway as well, remembering the front door was located there.

In the corner of his eyes he saw Seven grab the plate with the last sandwich, heading into his bedroom. Strange – if he was going to work, shouldn’t he be sitting behind the computer in his living room? Maybe he had another computer there. Wouldn’t be too surprising.

Zen stood outside, just in front of Seven’s heavily enforced door, mumbling about this house being ridiculous and where his motorcycle was. Next time they met, Jumin would ask Luciel why he had chosen to live in something akin to a war bunker.

“Luciel mentioned we all came here together. Driver Kim will be here soon.”

“Ah. Right. Thanks.” Zen rubbed his arm absently. 

“Would you care to join me?” Jumin said before he could stop himself. 

Once again, Zen looked startled. “What? Why??”

Jumin didn’t know why. But he didn’t feel like parting ways just yet. As he was trying to find the words to convince him, Zen sighed, seeming to understand.

“My house then. If we go to your penthouse, I’m sure I won’t be doing anything except sneezing my head off.”

He couldn’t argue against that. Hopefully Elizabeth wouldn’t be too offended if he stayed away a little longer.

“Ooh, are you guys planning your first date?” Yoosung ran towards them with a huge grin, followed by Assistant Kang who closed the door. The little panel next to the door activated and said something in a language none of them understood. Seven was forever the enigma.

Zen frowned at Yoosung. “Maybe you should find your own way home.”

“Agreed.”

“No wait, I was kidding!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting near the end! There will be one more chapter (maybe two) dealing with the aftermath of the aliens - and everyone finally gets the happiness and fluffiness they deserve.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Secretly went back to change Vanderwood's pronouns again because canon tells us he's a guy - but I kept she/her pronouns in Seven's POV and he/him in other POVs. xP

> ZEN: I had the weirdest dream last night  
>  ZEN: Someone hacked into the messenger  
>  ZEN: Seven had a clone  
>  ZEN: And we let an alien join the RFA
> 
> Yoosung★: Pff, seen many sci-fi movies much?
> 
> 707: lololololol~  
>  707: You need to smoke less weed
> 
> ZEN: Excuse you, I don’t smoke that stuff.  
>  ZEN: I haven’t even touched a normal cigarette for ages now
> 
> Jumin Han: Good, they’re bad for you.
> 
> 707: Aww Jumin is a caring boyfriend <3
> 
> ZEN: Don’t say that!
> 
> Yoosung★: What, seriously?  
>  Yoosung★: Aren’t you guys together since the party?
> 
> ZEN: It just sounds weird, okay?
> 
> Jumin Han: We’re not sure what to call it yet.
> 
> 707: I think you guys are being silly  
>  707: Just roll with it, stop being scared!
> 
> \- Jaehee Kang has logged in -
> 
> Jaehee Kang: Sorry for being late.  
>  Jaehee Kang: Ah Seven, are you doing better since this morning?
> 
> 707: Yes, I was feeling down but doing much better now. Thanks for asking! <3  
>  707: Giving Zen and Jumin relationship advice always makes me feel goodヽ(⌐■_■)ノ♪♬
> 
> ZEN: You’re not exactly the first person we’ll run to when we need advice =.o
> 
> Yoosung★: Don’t worry Jaehee, you haven’t missed anything.
> 
> Jumin Han: Assistant Kang, how fares the security report?
> 
> Jaehee Kang: It’s almost done, we can discuss it tomorrow if you wish.
> 
> Jumin Han: All 120 pages of it?
> 
> Jaehee Kang: Yes and you’ll be happy to know there were no major discrepancies.
> 
> Jumin Han: That… is incredibly fast. I gave you the project yesterday.
> 
> Yoosung★: Wow, Jaehee is a speed demon!
> 
> 707: Ramping up your security I see~?
> 
> Jumin Han: Yes. Background double-checks, adding stricter regulations, the lot.  
>  Jumin Han: Don’t forget to order double glass as well, Assistant Kang.
> 
> ZEN: Overworking Jaehee as always =.=
> 
> Jaehee Kang: It’s alright Zen, I’m actually getting a two week vacation after this.
> 
> Yoosung★: Sweet! I could use one right now
> 
> ZEN: Could it be? Is the ice man’s heart melting?
> 
> Jumin Han: At least I don’t wear my heart on my sleeve.
> 
> ZEN: Oh really now? I remember something else.
> 
> Yoosung★: Man, this is so different.
> 
> 707: It’s amazing~! 8D
> 
> Jaehee Kang: I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that out of all people, Zen chose Mr. Han.  
>  Jaehee Kang: But it doesn’t bother me as much as I thought it would.
> 
> Zen: Please don’t talk about us as if we aren’t here ;;;;
> 
> Jumin Han: …Is that an insult or a compliment?
> 
> \- V has logged in -
> 
> ZEN: V, hey!
> 
> Jumin Han: Jihyun, welcome back.
> 
> Jaehee Kang: Hello V, good to see you again.
> 
> 707: Hail to the 22nd letter!
> 
> Yoosung★: Sup V!  
>  Yoosung★: Where’s Rika at?
> 
> V: Hello everyone, it’s good to see you all doing so well.  
>  V: Ah, she won’t be joining us.  
>  V: She asked me if I could relay the news as it was too difficult for her to say personally.
> 
> ZEN: ?? What’s going on?
> 
> V: Rika and I will not take part in any RFA activities for a while.  
>  V: She told me it’s been taking a toll on her.
> 
> Yoosung★: :O
> 
> 707: D=
> 
> V: She thinks it’s best to take a break for now. She gives her apologies.  
>  V: Jumin, do you think you can handle leadership of the RFA for a while?
> 
> Jumin Han: Of course.  
>  Jumin Han: Is there anything else we can do?
> 
> V: Thank you. We’re looking into our options but if we need anything, I’ll ask.  
>  V: I have to go now but I’ll try to return soon.
> 
> Jaehee Kang: You’re leaving already?
> 
> V: I’m sorry. I promise I’ll stay longer next time.
> 
> Jumin Han: Thank you V. Give Rika our regards.
> 
> \- V has logged out -
> 
> ZEN: Man, he’s gone like the wind  
>  ZEN: I still have questions
> 
> Jumin Han: I’ll call him later, he seemed very busy.
> 
> Jaehee Kang: I had no idea Rika was so stressed out.
> 
> 707: Maybe I’m projecting, but perhaps she’s been pretending to be happy all this time
> 
> Yoosung★: Oh man I feel horrible for not noticing
> 
> 707: These kind of things are super easy to hide Yoosung, don’t feel bad
> 
> Jaehee Kang: At least she’s working on it.
> 
> Jumin Han: The best we can do right now is respect his wishes and set up the next RFA party as planned.
> 
> 707: I’ll definitely help!
> 
> Yoosung★: Same here!
> 
> ZEN: Of course we’ll all pitch in
> 
> Jaehee Kang: We better get to work. We have a lot to cover with two short.
> 
> 707: Don’t worry guys, according to Zen an alien will help us soon ;3
> 
> ZEN: I already regret telling you guys  
> 

***

_…the Korean National Police announced that this morning an officer has been arrested on suspicion of murder of two fellow police members. Both victims were found in the suspect’s home after their families reported them missing. Police Chief Park expects this to be an open-and-shut case and promises the victim’s families that justice will be dealt swiftly…”_

Nothing interesting on the news, Jaehee thought, as she stared at the small television in the corner of the coffee shop. She looked on her watch. Ten minutes had passed since she had placed her order. The store wasn’t even that busy. What was taking so long? At this rate, she was going to be home late – yesterday’s planning of the next RFA party had already gone on forever, and she was done in 20 minutes tops. She didn’t know if she was working faster than before or simply had gotten so experienced at doing them.

She took out her phone and was pleased to see a message from Vanderwood, who was complaining about Seven taking advantage of him again. Ever since Seven’s party, in the short time that they got to know each other, they had become fast friends. They often messaged each other, being able to vent out their frustrations about the people they worked with and relating to familiar situations. Even she was surprised how well they clicked.

Sometimes the conversation felt one-sided, as Vanderwood barely gave any details on what he did for a living or who he worked for; but perhaps that was for the best. Though her friend had hinted that something drastic might happen and that his future wasn’t sure anymore. Jaehee hoped somehow she could be of help when that happened.

After responding with sympathies, she tried to make eye contact with the male store employee who seemed to be struggling with the large coffee machine. A woman with long hair around her age appeared from beyond the employee area, pressed a few buttons and managed to get it working, the smell of coffee quickly filling the air around them. The sheepish young man walked away, leaving her to bring Jaehee the steaming foam cup.

“I apologize for the delay. The new machine that arrived today appears a bit too complex for my colleagues.” She said calmly as she placed the coffee on the plastic counter in front of her.

There was something about the odd way she spoke that sounded extremely familiar. Yet she had never seen her before in her life.

“You didn’t seem to have any problems with it, though.” 

“I scanned the manual thoroughly. It is absolutely intriguing how a combination of few buttons sets off complex maneuvers that results in creation of a hot beverage.”

Huh. She’s really technical. Jaehee took a sip of the coffee as the employee chatted enthustically about the coffee machine. It tasted like water. Her attempt not to look disgusted failed easily and the woman interrupted herself.

“Not to your satisfaction?”

Jaehee shook her head. “It’s not your fault. I’ve become a bit of a coffee snob lately. Say, have we met before?” Best to change the subject. Last thing she wanted was to make an employee, especially one so passionate about her work, look bad. One could never know if there was a manager lurking around the corner.

The employee rubbed the back of her neck. “I do not think so, unless you have been here in the past days? I would not be to recall if you were earlier than that.”

“I doubt it. I’m only here because I’ve been looking at the empty store two blocks further.” Might as well be truthful – no point raising her hopes and making her think she’d come here again.

“Oh! I have seen it. A good location, lots of people passing it. I recommended it to the owner of this establishment but he was not open to suggestions.” She looked a little deflated.

Huh again. Jaehee started to become more and more interested in the unusual person in front of and less in her gross coffee.

“…Do you enjoy working here?”

To her surprise, she didn’t receive the standard happy answer she was expecting.

“This may sound strange, but I cannot say. My memory literally stretches back to a week ago, where my brother told me my name and where I worked. He says I might have had an accident, though he could not say when or how.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.”

The employee laughed. “You are the sixth person to have said it so far. Hum- Hrm, people are so kind to have so much sympathy.”

Her joy was genuine and Jaehee was unable to tear her gaze away, suddenly captivated. She had never met someone so unique. She wanted to ask her about everything.

The telltale ding announcing the end of the news report reminded her that she planned on going home this evening and she coughed, feeling a little ashamed for talking so long. She mumbled her apologies as she said farewell, taking the coffee with her so she could throw it away out of the employee’s sight.

Strange, normally she wouldn’t think twice about throwing away bad coffee.

“Goodbye. Come back anytime!”

As she waved, Jaehee found herself planning to come back – whether it’s for this woman’s technological expertise or something else, she could not say yet. When she threw her coffee away, she felt stupid; next time she would ask her name first.

***

Musical practice was good today, despite the fact that he forgot his lines a few times. Those strange dreams he had earlier in the week recurred last night and gave him less sleep than normal. Still, he wasn’t deterred – strange dreams were simply healthy stress. Nothing he couldn’t battle with good exercise, which was why he was walking to C&R today instead of using his motorcycle.

In the list of things he didn’t expect to happen in his life, one would be him walking voluntarily to C&R to meet Jumin so they could go on their date. Date… He tried his hardest not to feel embarrassed, not wanting to look flushed in public. Unconsciously he walked faster.

It was all very strange and new, bizarre yet more exciting than any play he had ever acted in. While they behaved pretty much the same on- and offline, Jumin showed a side of him he never saw before. Calling Zen in the evening to ask how he was doing, boasting in the chat he had gotten the first ticket’s to his next show and apologizing for going overboard when everyone asked him to tone it down. Zen couldn’t deny he really enjoyed the attention, even when they were arguing.

He was thankful the RFA agreed that they wouldn’t reveal their relationship to anyone outside of the group. A normal relationship would have been hard enough, but one with a man and a director of an international company no less? The buzzards of the press would have a field day. Not something both of them felt like dealing with right now.

When he got close to C&R, he saw black smoke, a stark contrast to the setting sun in the sky, and heard sirens. Unfiltered panic set in, almost forgetting how to breathe, and he ran towards it so fast his soles were on fire. Turning around the corner, he was shocked to see a tilted black car, parts of it still burning as firemen were putting it out, the area flocked with police cars and an ambulance. Amongst the bystanders, Jaehee was one of them.

“Jaehee, what’s going on?”

Hearing her name, she turned to him. Seeing him made her look even more worried, her hands clasped together in front of her chest. “Zen! Mr. Han’s driver called in sick today so he tried to drive himself. And… he-”

Oh god, what?! That idiot couldn’t ride a bicycle without it bursting into flames! Without waiting for any other reply, Zen pushed the crowd away and sprinted towards the ambulance. The worst scenarios ran through his head and they were all horrible, bloody, made him want to scream. The cops noticed him and tried to hold him back, one of them pushing against him and yelling something, but he couldn’t hear her over the pulses of his own rapid heartbeat. In his frenzy, he almost wanted to punch her to get her out of the way.

“Let me go, I need to see him!” He screamed at them. The door of the ambulance opened and a nurse appeared, his words calming all of them down.

“It’s alright, he can see his friend.”

Zen didn’t bother with questions or apologies as he climbed in, ignoring the disgruntled comments of the police and the sound of the ambulance door closing behind him. Jumin was sitting on the thin leather seat in the middle of the vehicle. When he saw Zen, he perked up.

“Jumin! Are you alright?” What a great time for stupid questions. Jumin looked a little pale; his suit was torn and burnt in some areas.

“I’m fine. I’m not in any pain right now. The police was completely baffled that I was able to get out of the car myself. The nurse says I don’t have any bruises.” To prove his point, he held his hands up – not even a scratch.

They weren’t the only ones baffled. Zen couldn’t believe it as he grabbed Jumin’s arm and pushed up his sleeve, not finding any evidence of an accident. That car was completely destroyed! How was this even possible? He racked his mind for any possible explanation, but he wasn’t a doctor; he couldn’t explain this.

It didn’t matter. He was fine and that was more than he had expected. Zen let out a small chuckle and ran his hand through his white hair, deeply relieved. “You’re the luckiest bastard in the world, Jumin Han. Maybe you should buy a lottery ticket.”

Jumin smiled and got up, adjusting his sleeves. “I’m pretty sure I’ve expended all my luck in this one instance. Now, shall we get going? I’ll change in my office quickly and we can go to this small restaurant that I think you’ll like-“

“No, that’s not important. You’re going home so you can relax.” Seriously, as if their date was so important right now. Jumin frowned at him.

“I told you, I’m fine.”

“And I’m telling you, you’re not. I’ve been in an accidents before Jumin, just because you’re not physically hurt doesn’t mean you’re okay.” He remembered that motorcycle accident V saved him from. Some days he remembered only sleeping, worn out despite not doing anything.

“Your worrying is completely unnecessary.” He crossed his arms, taking a defensive position.

Why was he stubborn now, of all times? Zen felt fear wash over him, making him clench his hands as he tried to find the right words, his mind becoming a jumbled mess. “God, just, stop pretending you know better!”

“What? Why are you reacting like this? Why would I pretend?” 

Jumin’s questions were starting to piss him off. “Because that’s what you do, you hide your pain just because you’re scared of showing it!” The memory of Jumin sitting on a couch, acting like nothing was wrong, flashed before him and he hated it, wanted the image gone forever.

“Do you think I’m lying to you?”

Another memory, of him looking away from Zen, like he was going to leave him. It hurt so much and he had no idea where it came from. 

“No, I think you’re lying to yourself!” He nearly hit the man in front of him, trying to motion with his hands what his brain seemed incapable of saying.

Jumin looked astonished for a second before the frown deepened, almost adding wrinkles to his forehead. “So you think I’m incapable of being honest?!” 

“Wha- No!” Why couldn’t Jumin see what he meant? This wasn’t an attack on one of his most coveted virtues, damn it!

“Do you genuinely think I’m an idiot?! That I need to be babied like this?!”

“No, damnit, no!!” Fear boiled over into anger and it filled his mind, unable to think of better arguments as Jumin barraged him with words.

“Then what?! Is me not complying with your wishes hurting your pride?!”

Zen grabbed the front of Jumin’s jacket. “Damnit Jumin, I’m not going to lose you **again**!!”

The air felt heavy, the light seemed to have dimmed around them and the anger Zen felt drained away, realizing that what he was doing made no sense. Jumin’s eyes were wide open, looking at the hands holding part of his suit, just as bewildered as Zen was.

What was he thinking? Why had he said that? Why did this all feel like a déjà vu?

Slowly, he released Jumin, not sure where to look at. “I… don’t know where that came from.”

He had half expected Jumin to force an explanation out of him, a reason for this erratic behavior, but only silence followed. The dark-haired executive looked just as frazzled, plucking at the end of his sleeve out of nervous habit.

After a few moments, Zen sighed deeply, having had time to think now that the fear had subsided. “I swear, I’m not trying to baby you. But this is a pretty bad accident… And I guess it would put me at ease if you took it slow tonight. Maybe you’re right, but I don’t want you fainting on me. _Please_.”

Those dark eyes re-focused on him, confused and worried. So familiar, so familiar, so familiar-

“Alright.” Jumin put his hands up in surrender, giving him a warm small smile. Zen couldn’t stop the wide grin forming on his face. 

The both of them tried to come over cool and casual when they left the ambulance, the police and nurses outside giving them a suspicious stare, not stopping them from leaving.

It was late in the evening when Zen walked into Jumin’s bedroom with a cup of tea. Showered and re-dressed, Jumin was lying on his bed with large pillows propped behind his back, relaxing on Zen’s command. The television was on, displaying some awkward trashy talk show where a woman confessed to having experienced an alternate universe where she murdered a boy with a gun, because she thought he was being attacked by an alien.

“Why are you watching this garbage?”

“It’s actually quite interesting.”

He rolled his eyes while he knelt on Jumin’s ridiculously large bed, the dark-haired man taking the cup from him.

“You make a good maid. Maybe you’ve found your true calling.”

Urgh, Trust Fund and his stupid jokes! Zen punched him in the arm with a bit more strength than he intended, which did nothing to stop him from smiling like an idiot.

It was the first time he had ever visited the penthouse. Just like he thought, it was ridiculous and large and unnecessary. Admittedly the interior was beautiful, though he wouldn’t say it out loud. Trying to do anything without a maid jumping in to help was an adventure on its own. He felt like he deserved a medal when he convinced the chef to make them a simple noodle dinner.

At least he wasn’t sneezing his ass off. No doubt every piece of furniture got cleaned regularly, as if Jumin’s furball never existed. It also helped that Jaehee agreed to take care of the cat tonight.

Zen did feel guilty about that, but she had been more than understanding. Especially when Zen made Jumin promise not give her any cat projects for a while.

He sat on the bed, staring fascinated at the talk show, not willing to admit these shows were his guilty pleasure. The woman was now subjected to so-called expert questioning and Zen wished he had a snack to munch on. He considered raiding Jumin’s fridge when his deep voice rang through the host’s terrible jokes.

“I managed to call V yesterday.”

“Oh, and?”

“When I asked him about Rika, what he told me seemed to confirm Seven’s theory. We’ve agreed to all meet up so we can discuss it properly.”

Ah, that was good to know. “Well, whatever he and Rika are going to do, I hope it makes them happy.”

A hand wrapped around his arm and gently pulled him down, their sides touching as he lay next to him. Zen shifted to make himself comfortable, enjoying Jumin rubbing small circles on the back of his hand and the warmth radiating through his clothes.

“Thank you. Not only for worrying about me but others as well. You are as kind as you are handsome.”

He didn’t know what to respond to the genuine compliment. Blushing, Zen turned his head and their noses brushed, faces so much closer than he expected. Jumin leaned in and gave him the softest kiss he had ever felt, Zen wrapping his arms around Jumin’s waist to feel more. When his hands moved under that pinstripe shirt and Jumin’s lips wandered to his neck, he completely forgot everything else.

***

Twenty minutes left. Yoosung was so excited, he repeatedly told himself to calm down unless he wanted to vibrate through the floor. He double-checked his clothes and hair clips; even as a student, he wanted to look his best. His nerves were starting to get to him.

It had taken him forever to convince his professors to let him write a thesis and hold a public discussion on the unusual subject he had chosen. Xenobiology; the biology of things or creatures not yet found by anyone. Even he was surprised that he wanted to study it but the inspiration hit him around three in the morning, the day after Seven’s party. Since then, it was all he could think of.

The documents he had prepared with so much effort had helped him. His mentor was incredibly impressed, especially with the article containing information about, in her eyes, very realistic and even science-supported beings that didn’t exist on Earth. He wasn’t sure where the creativity came from, but he welcomed it with open arms. Just what he needed to get out of that pit that swallowed him when he was unable to decide where to go with his education.

Here he stood in front of the classroom, only a few weeks since he first suggested the idea. It was the fastest discussion ever planned by the school, thanks to Yoosung pushing for it; last thing he wanted was to lose interest in it. After getting his professor’s approval, every request afterwards he made followed easily. 

His topic had garnered quite a bit of interest as there weren’t a lot of students willing to host a debate on pretty much the unknown, but they sure wanted to take part in it. His classmates joked about him becoming Mr. Popular as they walked in, buzzing happily. Following them were a bunch of students he had never seen before, making him wonder if they were even from the same scool.

A guy standing close to the wall around his age, with shocking red hair and golden eyes caught his attention, looking a little lost while staring at a sheet of paper. Hold on a second – why was Seven here? He wasn’t wearing his unique yellow-ringed jacket over a red shirt, instead it was a black leather coat over a light-colored sweater. Yoosung hopped over to him.

“Seven! Seven, hey! What are y-”

‘Seven’ turned to him in surprise and Yoosung realized his mistake. Appearance-wise, he was so similar it was scary, yet Yoosung could immediately tell this wasn’t Seven at all.

“Oh! Sorry, I thought- You know, you look _exactly_ like my friend.” Sheepishly, Yoosung put his hand behind his head.

The Seven look-a-alike smiled, not a bad joke escaped from his mouth. Acting much calmer than Seven would, for sure. “I wasn’t aware I had a doppelganger here. His name is… Seven?”

His face made Yoosung laugh, so bewildered at the odd name. “Yeah, it’s what he likes to be called. I’ve gotten used to it that it sounds normal, but I can imagine that it’s weird.”

The redhead chuckled along and glanced at the piece of paper again. Yoosung recognized it as a map of his school. “Are you looking for something? Can I help?

“Yeah, maybe a good idea. I’m new here.”

“Oh, neat! What made you choose Sky University?”

He didn’t know what it was but the word new always triggered something in him, making him want to ask a million questions. His friends said he acted like a puppy at times and he would always feel insulted, but perhaps they were right.

The guy with the leather jacket pondered and for a moment Yoosung was worried he was being a bit too pushy. Maybe he didn’t want to stand around and talk to some excited weirdo in the hallway.

“Honestly? I don’t know exactly why I chose this place, but something about it called to me, like I unconsciously decided I needed to be here. My parents think it’s because I was born in Korea and want to re-discover my roots. We used to live in Hong Kong before we moved here.”

Whoa, Hong Kong?? Yoosung instantly launched into more questions about the country and him, forgetting his earlier doubt. The redhead answered every one of them, reserved when it came to the time before he moved away from Seoul but eager to tell him about his family. The amount of pride he radiated when informing Yoosung about his foster parents almost made the blond envious of him. 

“Was it hard to leave Korea?”

“It was, mostly because I got separated from my brother. He’s the only one I’ve missed all these years.”

His brother? Yoosung instantly thought of Seven. But every single instance where family was discussed, the hacker insisted he was an only child. Still, the resemblance was uncanny.

And Seven wasn’t exactly the bastion of honesty.

“That sucks, but now that you’re back, maybe you’ll see him again!”

“I doubt he’s still here, though who knows? You might be right.”

Just as he was about to ask something else, his phone buzzed as his alarm went off. Yoosung quickly checked the screen. Five minutes left until he had to kick off his debate.

“Oh sorry! You’re trying to find something and I need to go soon!”

“Haha, it’s alright. I need to find the administration office so I can get my roster.”

“Oh, that’s easy.” Yoosung pointed behind him and gave him quick instructions, which the redhead understood easily. Even without them meeting, he would have found it; though Yoosung was glad they had crossed paths.

He watched him walk away, only now becoming aware of the fact that he pretty much interrogated the crap out of the new student, without giving so much a single piece of information about himself. Why was he so terrible at first impressions?

“I’m Yoosung! What’s your name?” He called out, as if he could somehow remedy things in a single sentence.

The new student didn’t seemed to notice his awkwardness, turning his head and giving him another warm smile.

“Saeran!”

Hah, it even started with an S. He should tell Seven, or better yet, bring him to an RFA party just to see his shocked face. A good way to get back at him for that chocolate milk prank! And it would confirm whether he was right about Seven lying about his family.

His alarm buzzed again, reminding him he had to go host the discussion. He took a deep breath to focus and headed inside – feeling terrified and excited and many indescribable emotions all at once.

***

They had a name now. A relatively common, popular unisex name that wouldn’t stand out in a crowd. Sitting on a chair, Seven thumbed through the illegal passport Vanderwood had obtained for them, checking every page for mistakes. It looked real enough.

Vanderwood believed him to a certain degree when he told her his new friend ran away from their hostile family and needed to be given a new identity. He knew he had to be extra careful when coming up with their background story. Unlike his ‘party’ story, there wasn’t much room for error.

When Seven woke up that fateful day, he didn’t expect to see another person in his bedroom, staring at them with warm yet terrified eyes. What they told him was so unbelievable, so unreal, yet… it made sense. It made perfect sense. The loose scenes in his head connected together with every word they said.

They hadn’t told him everything, he knew. There were still gaps in his memory. But when they warned him that some things would only hurt him if he knew, he refused to let them continue. That feeling of pain floating distantly in his mind was best left disconnected. Just like his alien friend would have their secrets, he would keep this as his own.

He couldn’t tell the RFA. Heck, they probably wouldn’t believe him even if he did. The story he conjured up for them being together was so bad, he almost laughed at the fact that they let him get away with it. It was the most amazing thing that the RFA remembered how he truly felt at times and that they wanted to help him. It made him feel calm, comfortable, less lonely… Happier.

When Zen spoke up about his dream and accurately predicted things he couldn’t possibly know, it took all Seven to keep quiet, realizing what his friend meant with lingering effects. Jumin’s invulnerability, Jaehee’s lightning-speed… Hopefully there wouldn’t be a day where they realized what was going on. Time would tell if Yoosung had anything special.

His new friend paced through his bunker, staring at the smartphone he gave them as they absorbed every bit of information from an encyclopedia app Seven had installed for them. At first he thought it would be neat to let them discover the world step by step – until they got out of his shower and walked around the living room completely naked. Seven chuckled, remembering their confusion at his embarrassment, making them look at him.

“Is something funny?”

“Just remembering how silly some human social conventions are. Here, this is for you.”

They walked over to him as Seven handed them the passport, holding it open on the page where their new name was neatly printed.

“…Hah-nool?” They barely pronounced it right. It was so hard not to laugh out loud.

“Ha-neul. It’s who you are now. We will use it from now on, get you used to it. And we’ll rehearse your background story so much you will dream it.”

They, no, Ha-neul nodded happily. Their gaze turned to the small amount of documents scattered all over his table and back to the booklet in her hand, the most important thing she would ever own.

“Was this hard to get?”

“As hard as it is to get papers for ourselves. Mary and I are working on deleting ourselves from the agency. Just like you, we’ll start over! Well, sort of. You know what I mean.”

The agency seemed like a good shelter back then, a place for the desperate to turn to. Now, it was obvious he couldn’t stay any longer. They did too many things that was starting to eat at his conscious and every day he stayed with them was another day he had to lie to his friends. 

Vanderwood agreed. No more.

It was very, very risky. If the agency found out before they were done, they’d come after them and it’d be over. If his birth parents found out he and his brother still existed, especially their father… But even the agency had admitted he was one of their best. He could do this. For once, he could actually hope to lead a relatively normal life.

Ha-neul sat down on another chair in front of him, their face downcast and somber as they reached out and plucked at Seven’s jacket zipper. “Thank you Seven. For this, the phone, the clothes, your advice, your offer to help me find a job… You have given me so much. And I can’t do anything in return to help you.”

“Yet.” Seven corrected, making them look up. “And even if you never do, it doesn’t matter. As long as there’s heaven on Earth, I’ll be perfectly happy.”

They furrowed their eyebrows, not getting the joke. Aww, it was a perfectly good joke too!

“Your name. It means heaven. Or sky.”

Their eyes practically sparkled when he said the words. Suddenly, Ha-neul leaned forward and kissed him. It was a chaste kiss, yet the softness and warmth lingered, making his lips tingle. His eyes widened from the sudden action and they giggled, their face barely red compared to his. 

They had kissed him before and the first time was more embarrassing than seeing them naked. Even now he still ended up being flustered, not used to anyone behaving like this around him.

“This is how you all show deep affection to each other, correct? Or is that also wrong?”

Unlike most times, Ha-neul’s face wasn’t oblivious. They wore a small, devilish smirk that told him they knew what they were doing. His face heated up more and he found it hard to keep looking at them.

Jesus help him, they had discovered teasing. Seven shook his head and grabbed their waist, gently lifting them up and letting them sit on his lap. Two could play that game.

“So you’re fully aware of the concept love, eh?” He raised both eyebrows slyly as he put his hands on their back.

“I’ve read about it in your app. I don’t think I know everything but it’s super fascinating.” They said it so earnestly that Seven couldn’t continue. It wasn’t fair, they had the advantage of being so adorable and unknowing. When they laughed again, Seven realized perhaps he was being fooled once more.

Seven sighed and opted to hug them instead, resting his face against their shoulder. He would get his revenge soon. Alien or human, no one had more tricks up their sleeve than he did.

But for now, he was content with letting them win. As Ha-neul hugged him back, he felt closer to the stars than ever before.

***

> Jaehee Kang: By the looks of things, we should be able to throw the party on the scheduled deadline, though it will be close.
> 
> Jumin Han: I managed to find a public speaker but just in case, prepare something as back up, Hyun.
> 
> ZEN: Yeah, not a problem  
>  ZEN: Though maybe we should let Yoosung do it?  
>  ZEN: With how popular his debate was, he might want to practice more 
> 
> Yoosung★: No way!  
>  Yoosung★: I’m already going to help Jaehee set up the party
> 
> 707: lolololol
> 
> Jaehee Kang: You still think it’s scary?
> 
> Yoosung★: When I had to talk in front of all those students I thought I was going to die  
>  Yoosung★: I don’t know if I want to host a second discussion now
> 
> ZEN: Did it go that badly?
> 
> Yoosung★: My classmates said it was great but I feel like I messed up during the question round
> 
> Jumin Han: It becomes easier the more you do it.
> 
> Jaehee Kang: I’m sure your classmates are right, your perception on it is just too critical.
> 
> 707: Wait!!
> 
> Yoosung★: Huh?
> 
> 707: There’s someone here!
> 
> ZEN: Wtf  
>  ZEN: Ha-neul…?
> 
> Yoosung★: GASP  
>  Yoosung★: Hacker!
> 
> Jumin Han: How did a stranger get into the app?
> 
> 707: I don’t know  
>  707: It must be a super hacker to get in here!
> 
> Jaehee Kang: User Ha-neul, make yourself known.
> 
> Jumin Han: If you don’t reply, you will pay.
> 
> ZEN: rofl  
>  ZEN: Oh yeah, very scary
> 
> Jumin Han: Work with me here. =.=
> 
> ZEN: Sorry sorry
> 
> Ha-neul: Hello
> 
> Yoosung★: AH it’s talking!
> 
> 707: Don’t worry guys, I’m researching them right now~*~*

Seven laughed as he left the others confused while he took his time to ‘research’ the visitor. Said visitor sat next to him on the couch, looking a little concerned for scaring everyone but relaxed when Seven wrapped his arm around them and gave them a tight hug. He could have introduced them properly, but this was so much more fun. In time, he would tell them just so he could enjoy their annoyed reactions, but for now…

“Welcome to the RFA… again!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story was a bit too complex so I'm glad I finally finished it. xD I have been thinking of writing a second story with YooRan as main couple - because this is a pretty fun universe and I have been neglecting my other fave ship a bit. x.x That said, I don't know if there's interest or hell, if I even have time xD (or I'll just shove some projects to later date :P). ;)
> 
> As always, thank you for reading! <3


End file.
